KBC Channel 1

Author: Eric Biegon

  • Murkomen vows firm action against criminality in planned protests

    Murkomen vows firm action against criminality in planned protests

    Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a stern warning that individuals intending to exploit the June 25 demonstrations for violence, looting, and destruction will face the full force of the law.

    Accusing unnamed political actors of sponsoring unrest, Murkomen stated, “Some politicians who failed to find fault with this year’s Finance Bill just want to cause chaos next week. They are misusing other people’s children, yet neither they nor their children turn up in those demonstrations.”

    While affirming that Article 37 of the Constitution guarantees the right to picketing and peaceful demonstration, Murkomen cautioned against its abuse.

    “With due respect to Article 37, any person who will be in the streets with a machete, a stone, or matchsticks to burn a police station or a court, or to loot businesses, will meet the full force of the law.” He declared,

    He clarified that while the government has compensated victims of previous demonstrations, this should not be misconstrued as tolerance for criminal behaviour.

    “We are a responsible government… but that support does not mean goons and criminals can come and terrorise Kenyans,” he stated.

    Murkomen stressed that the police will protect lawful protesters while taking firm action against criminal elements who infiltrate demonstrations to commit offences such as arson, vandalism, and theft.

    He reinforced the government’s commitment to public safety, stating, “We must make our country safe, and that is what we will do because we love this country.”

    He further urged leaders to avoid inflaming tensions as the country approaches politically sensitive periods, warning against what he described as a rising culture of “goonism” linked to political mobilisation.

  • US to stop funding HIV programmes in South Africa

    US to stop funding HIV programmes in South Africa

    The US government says it will stop funding programmes in South Africa intended to tackle the spread of HIV and Aids.

    More than eight million South Africans are living with HIV – the highest number of any country in the world.

    The US State Department appeared to link the decision to South Africa’s alleged failure to protect the white-minority Afrikaner community – an allegation the South African government has repeatedly rejected.

    South Africa’s health ministry responded by saying that though it had not been informed of this decision, it had “long been working on a self-reliance plan”.

    Until 2025, the US was supporting South Africa’s efforts to deal with the virus with an estimated $400m (£300m) a year through the President’s Emergency Fund for Aids Relief (Pepfar).

    But since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, relations between the two countries have increasingly soured.

    Shortly after he came into office, Trump issued an executive order alleging that “countless” South African policies dismantled equal opportunities and fuelled violence “against racially disfavored landowners”.

    This is disputed by the South African government, which says its Black Economic Empowerment policy is needed to correct economic inequality dating from the apartheid era.

    The executive order also highlighted South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its links to Iran.

    The White House said that given these “unjust and immoral practices”, further aid to South Africa would not be provided.

    Trump has also falsely alleged that there is a “white genocide” taking place in South Africa, which has led to the administration setting up a refugee programme for Afrikaners – descendants of western Europeans who settled in southern Africa in the 17th Century. They are now just about the only refugees being allowed into the US.

    The genocide claim has been widely discredited.

    Pepfar funding, which had been providing about a fifth of South Africa’s total spending on HIV programmes, got a reprieve last October with what was called a “bridge plan”.

    But a US State Department official has confirmed that a “phased drawdown” of Pepfar funding would now start.

    This was because of “South Africa’s failure to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by the administration”, the official said.

    The intention of the US government was to “foster self-reliance” and reduce dependency on American funding, they added, pointing out that “South Africa is a middle-income country and is more than capable of supporting its own health programs”.

    South Africa’s health ministry has said that while Pepfar contributed to the country’s HIV programme, the provision of life-saving antiretroviral drugs was funded entirely separately, with most coming from the government.

    Attempts to mend US-South Africa relations have floundered. These include a high-profile White House meeting between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa just over a year ago when the US president confronted his counterpart with his claims of white persecution.

    The US also boycotted the G20 meeting, a gathering of the world’s major economies, hosted by South Africa last November.

  • Era of foreign aid dependency is over – Mudavadi

    Era of foreign aid dependency is over – Mudavadi

    Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi says Kenya must strengthen its economic self-reliance and emerge as a leading example on the African continent. He asserted that the era of dependence on foreign aid is long gone and called for a greater focus on building a strong and sustainable economy.

    Mudavadi also appealed to Kenyans to uphold peace as the country approaches the electioneering period. He stressed the importance of a peaceful, petition-free General Election, urging the nation to remain focused on nation-building to secure a firm economic foundation.

    Speaking at the burial ceremony of Mama Zipporah Kosgey in Nandi Hills Constituency, Nandi County, Mudavadi explained that Kenya must adapt to a rapidly changing global environment. He noted that countries are increasingly expected to finance their own development through domestic resource mobilisation, investment, trade, and innovation, rather than relying on traditional donor assistance.

    “The global dynamics are shifting at a very rapid pace. Countries can no longer depend on aid in the manner they did in the past. The shift in the global development landscape is compelling governments to strengthen their revenue bases and pursue sustainable economic policies capable of supporting national development priorities and ensuring long-term economic resilience,” Mudavadi stated.

    The Prime Cabinet Secretary further commended Parliament for approving the 2026/2027 Finance Bill, describing it as a critical policy instrument that will enable the government to raise the resources required to fund development programmes and strengthen economic resilience.

    “The Finance Bill is critical because the government must have the capacity to generate resources needed to support economic development and deliver services to wananchi. We appreciate Parliament for taking the necessary steps to support the country’s development agenda,” he said.

    He noted that the legislation comes at a time when countries worldwide are facing economic uncertainties arising from geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and rising energy costs.

    Despite the challenges, Mudavadi expressed confidence that Kenya is on the right path and possesses the capacity to overcome economic difficulties through sound leadership, prudent financial management, and sustained investment in productive sectors.

    “The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has affected global fuel prices, placing additional pressure on economies that depend on imported petroleum products. Since Kenya has not been spared from these challenges, fiscal measures are necessary to cushion the country’s economy,” the CS explained.

    Mudavadi expressed optimism that Kenya can achieve a petition-free presidential election in 2027, arguing that electoral disputes often consume national resources and prolong political divisions.

    He urged eligible citizens who have not yet acquired voter cards to take advantage of upcoming voter registration exercises, emphasising that broad participation is essential in strengthening democratic governance and ensuring that the will of the people is reflected at the ballot box.

    Mrs Zipporah Kosgey, wife of former Tinderet MP and ex-Cabinet Minister Hon.Henry Kiprono Kosgey, was remembered for her significant role in supporting the church and the broader Nandi community.

  • Kenya pushes resilience-first humanitarian model at UN meeting

    Kenya pushes resilience-first humanitarian model at UN meeting

    Kenya used a high-level United Nations forum this week to showcase its plan to transform refugee camps into integrated municipalities, calling on the international community to shift from aid to financing resilience.

    Speaking at the 2026 Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS) at the UN headquarters in New York, Kenya’s delegation head, Moses Lilan, implored the world community to rethink how it responds to humanitarian crises.

    The meeting was held under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), of which Kenya is a member.

    One of the six principal organs of the UN, ECOSOC is the main hub for sparking new ideas, building shared agreements, and aligning worldwide efforts to reach global development targets.

    Mr Lilan, the Secretary for National Administration in the Ministry of Interior, pushed for strategies that build self-reliance rather than dependence.

    “Kenya calls for prioritisation of locally led responses that build resilience by scaling up anticipatory action, climate adaptation, and livelihood programmes to address root causes,” Mr Lilan told the three-day meeting, which brought together member states, UN agencies, and humanitarian partners.

    At the centre of Kenya’s pitch is the Shirika Plan, which aims to benefit refugees and host communities by converting settlements into functioning urban centres where residents can work, own property, and access services.

    “These initiatives aim to transform refugee camps into integrated municipalities and promote self-reliance and economic inclusion, a move which will also be of great benefit to the local communities,” said Mr Lilan.

    Kenya currently hosts more than 800,000 refugees, one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, placing considerable pressure on host communities, particularly in arid regions.

    Mr Lilan pointed to the Shirika Plan alongside the country’s 15 Billion Trees Initiative and the Ending Drought Emergencies framework as models of what he called “integrated, area-based programming” capable of reducing future humanitarian need rather than simply responding to it.

    He added that Kenya’s approach to the refugee crisis aligns with its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) policy, a whole-of-government and whole-of-society model of development.

    “The Prevention, Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons and Affected Communities Act (2012) is complemented by the 2021 Refugees Act and the Shirika Plan,” he said.

    Kenya also announced that the 2026 Disaster Risk Management Act will soon come into force, describing it as landmark legislation strengthening the country’s capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

    The delegation acknowledged persistent funding shortfalls as a major obstacle, calling on international partners to complement national efforts with predictable, long-term financing.

    “International cooperation [must] complement national efforts in financing resilience, not disasters,” Mr Lilan said.

    The 2026 HAS, chaired by Spain’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Héctor Gómez, focused on strengthening humanitarian assistance amid what organisers called “unprecedented humanitarian challenges”, including climate change, conflict, and rising displacement.

  • JKIA expansion to cost Ksh 154bn, not Ksh 385bn – Chirchir

    JKIA expansion to cost Ksh 154bn, not Ksh 385bn – Chirchir

    Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has refuted media reports linking a Zimbabwean businessman and his company to the multi-billion-shilling expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

    Mr Chirchir stated that the firm in question neither participated in the procurement process nor has any association with the project.

    Addressing the media in response to recent allegations that a Zimbabwean-linked company had secured a stake in the airport modernisation programme, Chirchir categorically stated that the company mentioned in the reports “did not participate in this procurement process as a bidder and has no role, involvement or association whatsoever with this project.”

    He added, “They also are not part and parcel of the contractors who submitted bids to this tender,” explaining that all bidders were required to disclose members of their joint ventures through legally binding declarations, and the entity in question did not appear in any of those submissions.

    The Cabinet Secretary accused sections of the media of spreading unverified information and urged Kenyans to rely on official government communication regarding the matter.

    “Media houses owe Kenyans a higher duty of care not to intentionally or by carelessness misinform Kenyans,” he charged

    Chirchir also disputed reports suggesting the airport expansion would cost Ksh 375 billion, maintaining that the government does not expect the contract award to exceed Ksh 154.2 billion.

    “The contract award for the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is not expected to exceed Ksh 154.2 billion, not the Ksh 375 billion figure cited in sections of the media.”He clarified

    According to the CS, the procurement process was conducted through an open international competitive bidding framework, providing equal opportunities to both local and international firms. He affirmed that the process fully complied with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act and underwent all statutory evaluation, approval, and due diligence requirements.

    “Throughout the planning and procurement process, the Government has remained committed to transparency and continuous public engagement,” stated the CS.

    Chirchir further defended the ambitious project, explaining that JKIA’s infrastructure is increasingly struggling to keep pace with growing passenger and cargo traffic.

    “Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is increasingly operating under capacity constraints, and forecasts indicate that significant expansion is required to accommodate future demand while maintaining international standards of safety, operational efficiency and passenger service,” he said.

    The Cabinet Secretary stated that the modernisation programme is anchored on a long-term master plan designed to transform Kenya’s main gateway into a world-class aviation hub. Government projections indicate that passenger traffic has already surpassed the airport’s original design capacity and is expected to continue growing sharply in the coming years.

    Under the proposed expansion, the existing terminal’s annual passenger handling capacity will increase from 7.5 million to 12 million, while a new terminal will accommodate an additional 10 million passengers.

    “This will increase the capacity of JKIA from the current 7.5 million passengers per year to 22 million,” Chirchir said.

    He disclosed that the project will also involve the rehabilitation of existing terminals and airfield infrastructure, construction of new terminal facilities, aircraft aprons, taxiways, utility networks, access roads, aviation systems, and other operational support facilities.

    “The Government of Kenya remains firmly committed to transforming Jomo Kenyatta International Airport into a world-class aviation hub that will support our country’s economic growth, tourism, trade and regional connectivity for decades to come,” he said.

    The CS maintained that the airport upgrade is not merely an infrastructure undertaking but a strategic national investment intended to preserve Kenya’s competitiveness as East Africa’s leading aviation and logistics gateway for future generations.

  • Sifuna’s removal as ODM SG flawed, rules Tribunal

    Sifuna’s removal as ODM SG flawed, rules Tribunal

    The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has today ruled that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was denied a fair hearing before the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Executive Council (NEC) removed him from the position of Secretary General.

    The Gad Gathu-led Tribunal stated that there was no evidence Sifuna was even notified that his conduct would be on the agenda of the meeting that led to his ouster.

    In its judgment Thursday, the Tribunal noted that ODM had breached the basic tenets of natural justice by proceeding to remove Sifuna from one of the party’s most senior positions without giving him an opportunity to respond to the concerns raised against him.

    Chaired by party leader Dr Oburu Oginga, the NEC unanimously resolved in February this year to remove Sifuna as Secretary General with immediate effect, citing concerns over discipline and conduct within the party’s senior ranks.

    The party’s highest decision-making body subsequently installed Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo as the interim Secretary General.

    Sifuna immediately petitioned the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, challenging his removal. He argued that the decision violated both party rules and statutory requirements governing internal party democracy, maintaining that he was hanged without being heard.

  • COFEK faults Parliament’s rush to pass Finance Bill 2026

    COFEK faults Parliament’s rush to pass Finance Bill 2026

    The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has protested what it describes as the hurried passage of the Finance Bill, 2026, accusing Parliament of advancing far-reaching tax proposals without sufficient regard for consumer protection, privacy rights, public participation and fair administrative action as required under the Constitution.

    The consumer lobby argues that lawmakers are in the final stages of approving measures that will fundamentally alter how Kenyans are taxed in their day-to-day transactions, yet critical concerns raised by consumers and other stakeholders have not been adequately addressed.

    According to COFEK, the speed with which the Bill is being processed risks exposing millions of Kenyans to new tax burdens without proper safeguards against higher living costs, privacy violations and unfair administrative practices.

    The federation contends that several provisions contained in the Bill are punitive and could disproportionately affect ordinary consumers, low-income households and small businesses already grappling with economic pressures.

    Among the measures drawing the lobby’s opposition are proposed taxes on digital payment systems, virtual assets and scrap metal transactions, as well as the removal of VAT exemptions and zero-rated status for a number of essential goods and services.

    COFEK argues that expanding taxes and charges on payment processing systems, card schemes and other financial infrastructure will inevitably increase operational costs for banks, fintech firms and payment service providers. Those additional costs, it says, are likely to be transferred directly to consumers through higher transaction fees and merchant charges.

    The federation has also taken issue with the proposed 1.5 percent withholding tax on gross proceeds from scrap metal transactions, warning that taxing turnover rather than actual income could disproportionately hurt waste pickers, youth and small-scale traders who operate on extremely thin profit margins.

    Further concerns have been raised over proposals allegedly to remove VAT exemptions and zero-rating on essential goods and services, including basic food items, health products, agricultural inputs and educational materials.

    According to COFEK, subjecting such goods to the standard 16 percent VAT rate is likely to increase production and distribution costs, ultimately resulting in higher prices for consumers at a time when many households are struggling with the rising cost of living.

    The lobby further faults the Bill for failing to provide a clear transition framework or targeted consumer protection measures to cushion Kenyans from the anticipated impact of the proposed tax changes.

    It also argues that some provisions touching on digital transactions raise broader concerns about privacy and data protection in an increasingly digitized economy, warranting closer constitutional scrutiny before they are enacted.

    It is against this backdrop that COFEK, led by Secretary-General Stephen Mutoro, has moved to the High Court in Milimani seeking conservatory orders to stop the enactment and implementation of the contested provisions pending the hearing and determination of a constitutional petition.

    In court documents, the federation argues that once the impugned provisions take effect, the resulting constitutional injury to taxpayers and consumers could be immediate and difficult to reverse.

  • Equatorial Guinea government resigns after failing to meet targets

    Equatorial Guinea government resigns after failing to meet targets

    Equatorial Guinea’s government has resigned after failing to meet its objectives, Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue said.

    Obiang, who is also the son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, said the prime minister had presented the resignation of all members of the government because it had barely reached 10% of its targets.

    He did not specify the targets but a statement by the ruling party said the president had observed that the government fostered corruption and failed to diversify the economy.

    President Obiang is the world’s longest-serving leader who has ruled the oil-rich West African country since 1979 with a strong grip, while naming family members to key government roles.

    The president appointed the outgoing government in 2024, with Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua as prime minister.

    On Tuesday, the vice-president said the resignation was in line with “the principle that responsibility in public management must be accompanied by results”.

    “The degree of execution achieved is clearly insufficient in relation to the expectations and commitments undertaken,” he posted on X.

    In a statement on Facebook, the ruling Democratic ‌Party ⁠of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) said the president was dissatisfied with the management of the outgoing government. A new government is expected to be appointed.

    The statement further cited the misuse of state resources for personal interests and stagnation in the implementation of development projects.

    The president also noted that the government had not implemented policies to diversify the economy especially in the agricultural sector, which would cut reliance on imported goods that can be produced locally.

    Equatorial Guinea’s economy is heavily reliant on petroleum, with oil and gas accounting for most of its exports and revenues.

    In spite of its oil wealth, much of its 1.8m population has not benefitted, as poverty remains rampant. In recent years, the economy has been on a decline amid reduced production and demand for oil.

  • Ex-Nigeria oil minister cleared in UK bribery trial

    Ex-Nigeria oil minister cleared in UK bribery trial

    A former Nigerian oil minister has been cleared of taking bribes from wealthy oil executives in the form of luxury home stays and lavish spending sprees in the UK.

    Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, was found not guilty after a trial at London’s Southwark Crown Court of five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

    Alison-Madueke was Nigeria’s oil minister between 2010 and 2015 and the first female president of the oil exporters group Opec.

    The verdict is a blow for the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which had been investigating one of Africa’s most prominent political figures for 13 years.

    From the start of the trial in January, defence lawyers questioned the fairness of the prosecution’s case, suggesting vital documents showing Alison-Madueke’s innocence had gone missing in Nigeria.

    They also said the long delay in bringing the case to court was unjust and a sign of Britain’s “broken criminal justice system”.

    Also cleared by the jury were Alison-Madueke’s older brother Doye Agama, 69, an archbishop at a Pentecostal church in Manchester, who was acquitted of conspiracy to commit bribery.

    Oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, was found not guilty of bribery and bribery of a foreign public official.

    She had faced prosecution despite being an informant in an anti-corruption probe by the Nigerian authorities.

    ‘Madam due process’

    Alison-Madueke portrayed herself in court as a role model for women, a tireless fighter against corruption, and someone who was such a stickler for the rules she was nicknamed “Madam due process”.

    She became the first female member on the Nigerian board of oil and gas giant Shell in 2006, and four years later was appointed oil minister, the country’s second most senior politician. She became president of Opec in 2014.

    “In a very patriarchal society, to have a woman sitting at the helm was a major no-no,” she told the court, suggesting this had made her a target for unnamed male opponents.

    Prosecutor Alexandra Healy KC said the former minister improperly allowed powerful men with lucrative government contracts in the oil business to bankroll her extravagant lifestyle.

    Six of them were named on the indictment, although none were charged.

    But the prosecution failed to provide evidence she awarded contracts to any of the oil tycoons named because of bribes.

    “At no time did I ask, take, ‌or ⁠seek a bribe or bribes of any sort,” Alison-Madueke told the court, saying many of the luxury items purchased were not for her, and that she had been with the oil men to offer advice on interior design in their own properties.

    Alison-Madueke told the court that Nigerian ministers were not allowed to hold foreign bank accounts when on service overseas, and her department’s office in London was in such disarray that she relied on wealthy businessmen funding her living expenses.

    She said they were always reimbursed in Nigeria and evidence proving this had been seized from her home in Abuja but never produced by the authorities there.

    Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, who had appointed Alison-Madueke, did not appear as a witness. But he provided a statement in which he said third parties would often pay for transport, accommodation and other items for ministers on official overseas business.

  • Kenya, Africa leave G7 Summit with concrete wins – State House

    Kenya, Africa leave G7 Summit with concrete wins – State House

    Kenya and Africa have emerged from the G7 Summit in Évian, France, with tangible gains across financial architecture reform, critical minerals, infrastructure, health cooperation, and global governance, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed has said.

    Mohamed stated that the Summit marked a pivotal moment in Africa’s engagement with the world’s leading economies, building upon foundations established on African soil.

    “Kenya attended the G7 Summit in Évian, France, not as an observer, but as an agenda-shaping partner, bringing to the table African priorities agreed on African soil at the Africa Forward Summit, hosted in Nairobi in May 2026 by President Ruto and President Macron,” Mohamed explained.

    The most significant breakthrough, according to the spokesperson, was the progress made on the financial architecture agenda, a cause long championed by Kenya and Africa. He noted that the Summit advanced discussions on guarantees, risk-sharing instruments, debt reform, and concrete measures aimed at reducing the cost of capital – the single largest impediment to investment and economic growth across the continent.

    Mohamed highlighted that this agenda, championed by Kenya and its African partners, directly addresses what they identify as a structural imbalance in global credit markets that penalises African countries with higher interest rates despite comparable economic fundamentals.

    He further stated that the Summit garnered support for local value addition in critical minerals, a cornerstone of Africa’s drive to transition from raw material extraction to industrialisation and manufacturing. During the Summit, infrastructure partnerships were also strengthened through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) and the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, thereby opening new avenues for capital into the continent.

    These commitments, Mohamed affirmed, advance Africa’s long-standing call for a more equitable international financial system, greater value creation within the continent, and partnerships anchored in mutual benefit and shared prosperity.

    “They reinforce a fundamental reframing of Africa’s place in the international system: from recipient to partner, from risk to opportunity, and from problem to solution,” he remarked.

    He added that President Ruto’s participation underscored Kenya’s standing as a leading voice for Africa and as a bridge between African priorities and global action.

    “The Summit demonstrated that when Africa arrives with ideas, solutions, and a clear agenda, it does not merely participate in global conversations; it helps shape them. As the President told the Summit, the partnership Africa seeks is one ‘measured not by aid, but by what we build, invest in, and achieve together’,” Mohamed stated