KBC Channel 1

Author: Muraya Kamunde

  • KNBS assures Kenyans of data security in proposed biometric census plan

    KNBS assures Kenyans of data security in proposed biometric census plan

    The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has assured Kenyans that their personal information will remain safe and secure under the proposed use of biometric data in censuses and surveys outlined in the Statistics Bill, 2026.

    The Bill, which is currently undergoing nationwide public participation, proposes the transition of KNBS into the Kenya Statistics Authority.

    It also seeks to introduce the use of biometric data in censuses and surveys to improve accuracy, prevent duplication, and enhance the integrity of collected data.

    According to the proposed law, the authority will be allowed to collect and process biometric data during the conduct of national censuses and surveys.

    “KNBS wants to assure members of the public that the data we are collecting, even now as KNBS, is very safe, secure, and stored in a proper manner,” said KNBS Acting Head of Legal Services Linda Olueny in Mombasa.

    “We also want to assure members of the public that with the coming of the new bill, we are reinforcing this issue. We take cognisance of the provisions of the Data Protection Act, the Access to Information Act, and Article 35 of the Constitution, which requires that data collected be treated confidentially and with a high level of security,” she added.

  • Matatu strike called off to allow negotiations take place

    Matatu strike called off to allow negotiations take place

    The ongoing Matatu strike has been suspended for a period of one week to allow for negotiations between government and stakeholders take place, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced.

    Speaking on Tuesday after holding talks with the Transport Sector Alliance, the Interior CS said that they agreed for the negotiations happen at a higher level and must be undertaken within the next one week.

    “The strike that is ongoing is suspended for a period of one week to provide an avenue for consultation and negotiations between the government and the stakeholders,” said CS Kipchumba Murkomen.

    CS Murkomen further said the government remains fully committed to addressing concerns raised by Kenyans at all times and called for peaceful and legal means for airing their grievances.

    The transport sector stakeholders also condemned incidences of violence and destruction of property witnessed on Monday in some parts of the country and dissociated from them.

    On Monday, the Transport Sector Alliance and the government failed to reach an agreement with government to resolve the crisis that was occasioned by the high fuel prices.

    The Matatu stakeholders had requested their drivers to keep their vehicles away from the roads today as they continue to engage the government on their concerns.

    “We have agreed on the part of adulteration that the price of diesel and kerosene be at par. On the issue of the diesel prices, that one we have not agreed and we have scheduled another meeting. In the meantime, it is our request that all our drivers and owners of vehicles continue keeping their vehicles at home,” they said.

    The stakeholders accused the Government of not doing enough to shield Kenyans from the rising fuel prices, amid a broader high cost-of-living crisis.

  • At least 700 people arrested during Monday’s protests

    At least 700 people arrested during Monday’s protests

    At least 710 people have been arrested across the country following protests over high fuel prices, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has said.

    According to a statement by the investigative agency, majority of the suspects were arrested in Rift Valley (259) followed by Nairobi County with 189 arrests.

    A total of 142 arrests were recorded in Central region followed by Eastern 142 and in the Coast region only seven suspects were nabbed.

    The DCI cautioned members of the public against turning legitimate demonstrations into criminal activities.

    “While every Kenyan has the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression, acts of violence, looting, arson, road blockades, destruction of property, attacks on police or motorists, and any acts that endanger lives are serious criminal offences,” said the DCI.

    The DCI urged the public to remain calm, respect the rights of others, and cooperate with security agencies to ensure peace and public safety.

    The suspects are set to be arraigned in court today on various charges.

  • Four killed in protests during Kenyan strikes over high fuel prices

    Four killed in protests during Kenyan strikes over high fuel prices

    Four people have been killed and at least 30 injured in protests linked to Kenya’s nationwide transport strikes against recent increases in the cost of fuel, according to the Interior Minister.

    Thousands of commuters were left stranded, with key roads in the capital Nairobi largely empty as some businesses remained shut and schools asked students to stay at home.

    Protesters have been blocking roads and erecting burning barricades. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen added that 348 people had been arrested.

    The strike comes days after the authorities raised petroleum prices to record levels, with costs increasing by more than 20pc.

    Kenya, like many other African countries, relies heavily on fuel imports from the Gulf, a supply route disrupted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran that began on 28 February. Even though a ceasefire has been declared, fuel prices have remained high as the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil passes through, is still blocked.

    Many passengers were stranded at bus stops in the capital in the morning. Others arriving from elsewhere to Nairobi could not get into the city.

    In parts of Nairobi and elsewhere across the country, police used tear gas to disperse protesters who had blocked roads with burning tyres and barricades, amid reports they had been stopping and harassing motorists.

    Nairobi Police Commander Issa Mohamud said six police officers were injured in the clashes, and five police vehicles and one civilian vehicle were damaged.

    Ahead of the strike, the police assured Kenyans that security measures would be in place and warned against any disruptive conduct.

    Speaking to reporters on Monday evening, Murkomen said it was “unfortunate that the protests have once again been hijacked by political actors for political ends”.

    “Looting businesses and vandalising public property can in no way bring down oil prices,” Kenya’s news website, Kenyans, cited him as saying. “Disrupting transport and destroying livelihoods will only worsen the situation facing Kenyans.”

  • Transport operators strike enters day two

    Transport operators strike enters day two

    The nationwide transport shutdown has entered the second day after the Transport Sector Alliance failed to reach an agreement with government to resolve the crisis occasioned by the high fuel prices.

    Speaking to the media on Monday, the Matatu stakeholders requested their drivers to keep their vehicles away from the roads as they continue to engage the government on their concerns.

    “We have agreed on the part of adulteration that the price of diesel and kerosene be at par. On the issue of the diesel prices, that one we have not agreed and we have scheduled another meeting. In the meantime, it is our request that all our drivers and owners of vehicles continue keeping their vehicles at home,” they said.

    The stakeholders accused the Government of not doing enough to shield Kenyans from the rising fuel prices, amid a broader high cost-of-living crisis.

    They called for the reversal of the price increases announced last week, and for fuel prices to be reduced by about 35pc.

    In the meantime, President William Ruto has directed his deputy Kithure Kindiki and a team of Cabinet Secretaries to convene urgent talks with transport operators, manufacturers and other stakeholders as the government moves to address rising fuel prices linked to global oil market disruptions caused by the ongoing Iran conflict.

    DP Kindiki revealed that he had been instructed alongside Cabinet Secretaries John Mbadi, Davis Chirchir, Opiyo Wandayi and Kipchumba Murkomen to immediately engage stakeholders in the petroleum and transport sectors in search of practical solutions to stabilise fuel prices.

    The strike which commenced yesterday left thousands of commuters stranded after public service vehicles (PSVs) operating on various routes joined the nationwide strike.

    Several roads were barricaded, while some vehicles ferrying passengers to Nairobi were turned away. The disruption also affected learning, with many schools advising learners to remain at home.

    More to follow…

  • At least 131 dead in Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, official says

    At least 131 dead in Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, official says

    At least 131 deaths have been reported in an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with more than 513 cases suspected, local officials have said.

    A spokesman for the DR Congo government said cases were now being reported over a wider area.

    There are also two confirmed cases and one death in Uganda, says the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of the current strain of Ebola, which is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, an international emergency.

    As this deadly Ebola outbreak continues to spread, the Congolese government has sought to reassure people that its response teams are working hard to trace and investigate suspected infections – and that there is no need for panic.

    However, with cases now identified in new areas including Nyakunde in Ituri Province, Butembo in North Kivu, and the city of Goma, concern is inevitably growing.

    An American doctor in the DR Congo is among those with a  confirmed case the medical missionary group they were working with and the CDC has said.

    The individual will now be taken to Germany for treatment, they told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

    While the CDC did not name the American working in the country, medical missionary group Serge said one of its US doctors, Peter Stafford, had tested positive for Ebola.

    Two others doctors from the group who were exposed while treating patients, including Stafford’s wife, Dr Rebekah Stafford, did not have symptoms and were following quarantine protocols, the group said in a statement.

    CBS News also quoted sources as saying that at least six Americans have been exposed to the Ebola virus during the outbreak in the DR Congo.

    The CDC said it was supporting the “safe withdrawal of a small number of Americans who are directly affected”, but did not confirm how many.

    The US government is reportedly looking to arrange transport for the small group of Americans in DR Congo to a safe quarantine location, a source told health news site STAT.

    Quoting a source, the site adds that the group could be taken to a US military base in Germany, though this has not been confirmed.

    The CDC declined to answer direct questions about the US citizens reportedly affected during a press conference on Sunday.

    In an update on Monday, the public health agency said the risk to the US was relatively low, but said it would introduce a range of measures to prevent the disease from entering the country.

    This includes monitoring travellers arriving from affected areas and placing entry restrictions on non-US passport holders if they have been in Uganda, DR Congo or South Sudan in the last 21 days.

    The CDC said it would work with airlines and other partners to carry out contact tracing of passengers, increase testing capacity and hospital readiness to respond to the outbreak.

    The US has also issued a Level Four travel advisory – its most severe level – warning against travel to the DR Congo.

    The WHO has said the outbreak in DR Congo’s eastern Ituri province is a public health emergency of international concern, but did not meet the criteria of a pandemic.

    The agency has also warned it could potentially be “a much larger outbreak” than what is currently being detected and reported, with significant risk of local and regional spread.

    More than 28,600 people were infected by Ebola during the 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa, the largest outbreak of the virus since its discovery in 1976.

  • Transport operators to paralyze operations Monday

    Transport operators to paralyze operations Monday

    Stakeholders in Kenya’s transport sector have unanimously called for a countrywide strike beginning midnight in protest of the high fuel prices announced last week.

    In a joint statement issued on Sunday, over 15 stakeholders under the Transport Sector Alliance umbrella resolved to stand together saying the hike had worsened the cost of living for Kenyans.

    “Following a high-level consultative meeting held today, Sunday, 17th May 2026, all stakeholders in Kenya’s transport sector have unanimously reaffirmed that no vehicle shall move starting midnight today in the nationwide Transport Sector Fuel Strike scheduled for Monday, 18th May 2026, is fully on,” a statement from the Transport Sector Alliance read.

    The suspension of transport services comes after the latest fuel price hike announced last week by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which triggered outrage among PSV operators.

    The stakeholders called for solidarity in tomorrow’s protest saying the rising cost of fuel has made it difficult for Kenyans to meet their daily needs.

    “This action is not only for transport operators, but for every Kenyan citizen. The ordinary mwananchi is the ultimate victim of high fuel prices, paying more for transport, food, electricity, and essential commodities. For this reason, farmers, business owners, workers, and consumers across the country have already expressed solidarity,” they said.

    Among key demands issued by the Transport Sector Alliance include the reversal of the fuel price increase announced on 14th May 2026, the standardization of all petroleum products at the current kerosene price of Ksh 152.78 per litre and a reduction of petrol and diesel prices to approximately Ksh 152 per litre.

    Further, they demanded for the resignation or dismissal of the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum as well as the accountability for public officials who have permitted the importation and sale of substandard fuel that is damaging vehicle engines.

  • Health Ministry issues directives to counties following Ebola outbreak

    Health Ministry issues directives to counties following Ebola outbreak

    The Ministry of Health has directed County Governments for urgent preparedness and response measures to prevent possible cross-border transmission of the Ebola Virus.

    Although the country has not registered any Ebola case, Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the Ministry has heightened surveillance and is closely monitoring the outbreak reported in Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern Ituri province and Uganda.

    “The Ministry of Health wishes to assure all Kenyans that, as of today, no confirmed or suspected case of Ebola Virus Disease has been detected within the Republic of Kenya,” said PS Muthoni.

    “However, owing to the significant movement of persons and goods within the East and Central African region, all County Governments are hereby directed to immediately activate and enhance preparedness and response measures,” she added.

    The new directives issued to County Governments include the surveillance activities at all points of entry and in counties with high cross-border movement and international travel.

    The ministry, further, directed the activation and sensitization of County Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) for prompt investigation and containment of suspected cases.

    Others directives are the training of healthcare workers on Ebola case identification, case management, IPC measures, safe burials, and reporting protocols and preparation of isolation facilities and treatment centres within counties.

    Latest reports from Africa CDC, a total of 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported, mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara Health Zones, while additional suspected cases have been identified in Bunia Town pending confirmation.

    Laboratory investigations conducted by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa confirmed Ebola virus infection in 13 out of 20 tested samples, with at least four deaths occurring among laboratory-confirmed cases.

  • WHO declares Ebola outbreak in DR Congo a global health emergency

    WHO declares Ebola outbreak in DR Congo a global health emergency

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern.

    The agency said the outbreak in DR Congo’s eastern Ituri province, which has seen around 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths reported, does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency.

    But it warned it could potentially be “a much larger outbreak” than what is currently being detected and reported, with significant risk of local and regional spread.

    The current strain of Ebola is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the health agency said, for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines.

    Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat, and are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and bleeding.

    The WHO said there are now eight laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus, with other suspected cases and deaths across three health zones including Bunia the capital of Ituri province, and the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.

    One case of the virus has been confirmed in the capital Kinshasa, believed to be in a patient returning from Ituri.

    The global health agency added the virus has spread beyond DR Congo, with two confirmed cases reported in neighbouring Uganda. Ugandan officials said a 59-year-old man who died on Thursday had tested positive.

    In a statement, the Ugandan government said the patient who died was a Congolese citizen whose body has already been returned to DR Congo.

    The WHO said the ongoing security situation and humanitarian crisis in DR Congo, combined with high population mobility, the urban location of the hotspot, and the large number of informal healthcare facilities in the region increased the risk of spread.

    Countries bordering the DR Congo are considered high risk due to trade and travel.

    The WHO advised that DR Congo and Uganda establish emergency operation centres to monitor, trace, and implement infection-prevention measures.

    To minimise spread, the health agency said confirmed cases should be immediately isolated and treated until two Bundibugyo virus-specific tests conducted at least 48 hours apart are negative.

    For countries bordering regions with confirmed cases, governments should enhance surveillance and health reporting.

    The WHO added that countries outside the affected region should not close their borders or restrict travel and trade as “such measures are usually implemented out of fear and have no basis in science”.

    Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo, and is thought to have spread from bats. This is the 17th outbreak of the deadly viral disease in the country.

    It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids and through broken skin, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.

    There is no proven cure for Ebola, with the average fatality rate is around 50%, according to the WHO.

    Africa CDC previously said it was concerned by the high risk of further spread due to the urban settings of Rwampara and Bunia, and mining activities in Mongwalu.

    The health agency’s executive director Dr Jean Kaseya added that “significant population movement” between the affected areas and neighbouring countries also meant regional co-ordination was essential.

    Around 15,000 people have died from the virus in African countries over the past 50 years.

  • CSs Murkomen, Joho call for peace and unity in the county

    CSs Murkomen, Joho call for peace and unity in the county

    Political leaders have called upon Kenyans to uphold unity and promote peaceful co-existence through sports.

    The leaders led Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, alongside his Mining counterpart Hassan Joho, spoke on Saturday after gracing the first edition of the Cheraa Unity Cup under the OKM Foundation in Cherang’any Sub-County.

    The two leaders noted that the country abounds with sports talent that needs to be developed.

    “Every community has a star waiting to be discovered. Sports tournaments at the community level help to bring out these talents, promote cohesion, and steer the youth away from negative behaviours,” said CS Murkomen.

    CS Joho congratulated CS Murkomen for the initiative and urged other leaders to support sports development, saying it was a critical way of creating jobs.

    “Football initiatives like the Cheraa Unity Cup help to steer youth away from alcohol and drug abuse,” he said.

    Men and women competed in volleyball and football, which culminated in today’s finals.

    The highlight of the day was the thrilling contest between Kapsara FC and Sibanga FC, that had to be settled at extra time in favour of Sibanga FC.