KBC Channel 1

Author: Prudence Wanza

  • DP Kindiki rallies unregistered voters to enlist before 2027 polls

    DP Kindiki rallies unregistered voters to enlist before 2027 polls

    Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on unregistered Kenyans to turn up in large numbers and get enrolled in the voters’ roll before the registration window closes.

    The DP said those who fail to register will miss the opportunity to elect leaders of their choice in the 2027 polls.

    “I am asking all eligible Kenyans who have not registered to vote to do so. With a vote, you will have power to choose whoever you wish at the ballot,” he noted.

    The Second in Command spoke on Sunday at home in Irunduni, Tharaka Nithi County where he hosted thousands of residents for Easter celebrations.

    “Without a vote, you will just make noise but you will not enjoy any right to vote,” DP stated.

    The Deputy President shared an Easter meal with the jubilant residents and briefed them on the huge development projects the government is undertaking in the County as well as across the country.

    He also beseeched Kenyans not to fall prey to those keen to divide them across partisan lines.

    “As we celebrate Easter, let’s remember to love our neighbours, love our country and love all Kenyans as created by God,” he added.

    Prof. Kindiki assured residents that they will benefit from the administration’s extensive development agenda that targets hundreds of kilometres of tarmac roads for every county, extension of electricity to thousands of homes, construction of modern markets, water projects among others.

    “We have many projects going on in Tharaka Nithi and I will make sure they are completed on time. We have tendered for many more projects which will start in the coming weeks,” he added.

    The DP noted that no part of the country will be discriminated against as the government rolls out development aimed at improving the lives of all Kenyans.

    “We are developing every part of the country because it is not right for one section of the country to develop and others to lag behind. Every part of this country will be developed,” he assured.

    Earlier, the Deputy President attended an interdenominational church service in honour of the late Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho at his home in Gacwe village in Nyandarua County.

  • Gov’t assures Kenyans of adequate fuel supply amid import probe

    Gov’t assures Kenyans of adequate fuel supply amid import probe

    Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has cautioned against politicizing ongoing investigations into the fuel import scandal, while assuring Kenyans that the country has sufficient petroleum stocks to meet demand.

    In a statement issued Sunday, the CS said the government is committed to an independent and professional inquiry into recent developments in the sector, which have seen several senior officials resign.

    “We wish to appeal to the public to be patient and allow the relevant government agencies to undertake independent and professional investigations into the matters in question conclusively,” he said.

    The CS expressed concern over what he described as a campaign of disinformation orchestrated by some political leaders and warned against attempts to exploit the situation for political gain.

    He reiterated that the government will not tolerate cartels, profiteers, or extortionists seeking to take advantage of regional uncertainties for personal gain.

    Wandayi confirmed that the G-to-G (Government-to-Government) fuel procurement framework remains stable and resilient, cushioning the country against supply shocks from the Gulf.

    He further revealed that an internal review of petroleum management systems is underway to reinforce transparency, safeguard quality, and maintain the integrity of the supply chain.

    “We further wish to reassure the public that there are sufficient stocks of petroleum products to meet current demand. We reiterate the government’s commitment to ensuring an uninterrupted supply of quality petroleum products for both Kenya and regional markets,” Wandayi said.

    The statement follows the resignation of three top energy officials, EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo, Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, and Petroleum PS Mohamed Liban.

    The three were arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over allegations of falsifying domestic fuel stock levels, creating panic and an artificial supply crisis.

    This allegedly allowed for an emergency fuel shipment procured outside the G-to-G framework at more than three times the contracted price and of substandard quality.

  • EPRA appoints Joseph Oketch as Acting Director General

    EPRA appoints Joseph Oketch as Acting Director General

    The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has appointed Dr. (Eng.) Joseph Oketch as Acting Director General following the resignation of Daniel Kiptoo.

    Dr. Oketch previously served as EPRA’s Director in charge of Electricity and Renewable Energy and has over 25 years of experience in Kenya’s energy sector.

    He oversaw the formulation, review, and monitoring of regulations, standards, and codes for the electrical and renewable energy subsectors.

    Dr.Oketch holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nairobi, an MBA and PhD in Strategic Management from Kenyatta University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi.

    He is also a registered professional engineer and a member of the Institute of Engineers of Kenya and the Kenya Institute of Management.

    EPRA’s Board expressed confidence that Dr. Oketch will maintain the authority’s stability and continue regulating the sector effectively.

    His appointment follows the resignation of three top energy officials: EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo, Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang, and Petroleum PS Mohamed Liban.

    The three were arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over allegations of falsifying domestic fuel stock levels, creating panic and an artificial supply crisis.

    This allegedly allowed for an emergency fuel shipment procured outside the Government-to-Government framework at more than three times the contracted price and of substandard quality.

  • PS Muthoni urges hygiene, food safety during Easter festivities

    PS Muthoni urges hygiene, food safety during Easter festivities

    The Ministry of Health has issued a public health advisory to Kenyans, warning that increased travel, mass gatherings and social activity could expose the public to preventable injuries and disease outbreaks.

    Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni noted that festive periods are often marked by conditions that facilitate the spread of foodborne illnesses and communicable diseases.

    To reduce the risk of disease spread, the PS urged Kenyans to adopt preventive measures such as maintaining proper hygiene by washing hands regularly and consuming freshly prepared, well-cooked food.

    “Avoid food from unhygienic environments and store food properly to prevent contamination,” Muthoni advised.

    She further cautioned the public against consuming unsafe water, particularly in flood-prone areas, advising that only treated or boiled water should be used for drinking and food preparation.

    Muthoni also stressed the need for personal responsibility in preventing communicable diseases, urging Kenyans to avoid sharing personal items and to seek prompt medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea or a persistent cough.

    On travel safety, the PS called on motorists to plan their journeys in advance, avoid fatigue, adhere to traffic rules and refrain from driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

    She added that all passengers must wear seatbelts, with children properly restrained.

    The Ministry also urged Kenyans to celebrate responsibly during the Easter period, warning against excessive alcohol consumption and calling for vigilance in crowded places to ensure the safety of children and other vulnerable persons.

    In case of emergencies, the public has been advised to seek immediate assistance from the nearest health facility and to keep emergency contacts readily available.

  • IEBC targets 139,892 new voters in Nyeri

    IEBC targets 139,892 new voters in Nyeri

    The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is targeting to enlist a total of 139,892 new voters in Nyeri during the ongoing Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise.

    Nyeri IEBC Manager Peter Mauta says since the exercise began on March 30, they have enlisted a total of 20,019 new voters in the six constituencies.

    In Nyeri Town constituency alone, the electoral body hopes to enlist a total of 25,404 voters by the end of the ongoing registration exercise.

    “We target to capture 139,892 new voters. Since we started the registration of voters in September last year, Nyeri county has registered 9,612 new voters. Nyeri Town Constituency has so far registered 3,519 for the last three days when we started this enhanced continuous voter registration,” he said.

    The month-long countrywide exercise which began on March 30 is expected to add at least 6.3 million new voters on the voters roll.

    Since September last year, the IEBC has been able to register a total of 220,000 new voters in the 290 constituencies even as the county inches closer to the 2027 general election.

    Mauta told KNA they are hoping to raise the number of registered voters from the current 481,631 voters to 621,524 voters in all the six constituencies.

    He said they are employing the help of civil societies, local administrators and religious bodies to reach out to the unregistered persons and sensitise them on the need to take advantage of the enlisting exercise.

    “In 2022 we had 481,631 registered voters but by the end of this exercise and the next phase, phase 2 of this mass voter registration exercise, we are targeting 139,892 and if we realise our dream, we will have 621,524 voters in Nyeri County,” he explained.

    In terms of resources, the IEBC official stated that they had enough personnel in all strategic places, including government offices where persons can walk in and get registered.

    He also disclosed that unlike in the past when the electoral body was employing the use of Biometric Voter Registration kits, this time clerks were using open kits which can capture details of an eligible voter from any location.

    Mauta has also said young people under the age of 35 years form the largest percentage of those who are visiting registration desks, accounting for 80-90 per cent turnout.

    “So far we do not have any challenge. Every ward has three Kenya Integrated Elections Management System kits that are being managed by three clerks. We have also put two clerks at the Huduma Centre who are doing registration. And unlike the previous registration exercise, we are using open kits. We can register any person from anywhere and he or she can vote anywhere in 2027,” he pointed out.

    “We are also doing transfers and so far, we transferred 317 voters from Nyeri town constituency while in Nyeri county 5,612 transfers have been done. We cannot transfer a person from this constituency to another place but whoever comes here, we transfer that person from here,” he added.

    According to official IEBC figures dating back to 2022, there were a total of 22,102,532 registered voters in all the 47 counties. However, during the 2022 general election, only 14,326,641 people turned out to cast their votes.

  • KPA MD out of danger after grisly road accident, Murkomen confirms

    KPA MD out of danger after grisly road accident, Murkomen confirms

    Interior Cabinet Secretart Kipchumba Murkomen has confirmed that Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Capt. William Ruto is out of danger following a grisly road accident in Taita Taveta County.

    He was travelling with his family to Arusha, Tanzania, for the Easter holiday.

    CS Murkomen briefed the press at Mombasa Hospital, where the MD is recuperating, stating that the accident occurred after his vehicle collided with a stationary trailer. Capt. Ruto was travelling with four family members at the time of the crash. Tragically, his daughter lost her life in the incident.

    “Doctors have confirmed that he is stable after a thorough medical check-up. According to hospital protocols, he remains under medical care,” said the CS, adding that he was able to speak with and console the MD following the tragic loss.

    CS Murkomen urged motorists to strictly observe traffic rules to help prevent road accidents. He noted that the stationary trailer involved in the crash had broken down but failed to comply with safety regulations.

    “The driver did not activate hazard lights or place warning triangles at least 50 metres away to alert oncoming motorists,” he said.

    “We continue to pray for him and his family. We believe God will give him the strength to recover and continue serving the nation. I want to assure Kenyans that doctors have confirmed all the occupants are in stable condition. We have spoken with them at length,” he added.

    The CS said the government is working with the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the National Transport and Safety Authority to enhance road safety and reduce accidents, stressing the need for strict adherence to traffic rules.

    Responding to questions on whether the MD was being sought by police over the fuel importation scandal, Murkomen dismissed the claims, saying the government would only address verified facts.

    “It is our duty to protect Kenyans from fake news and misinformation. What we can confirm is that Capt. Ruto is in stable condition, and we are confident he will recover from this unfortunate incident,” he said.

    Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, speaking separately, said he received news of the accident from a mutual friend and immediately mobilised ambulances before travelling to Taita Taveta County.

    Together with Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime, they coordinated rescue efforts and facilitated the transfer of the injured to Moi County Referral Hospital, before they were later moved to Mombasa Hospital for specialised treatment.

    “He was travelling to Arusha for the Easter holiday when the accident occurred. I spoke with the Taita Taveta Governor, and we worked together to ensure a swift response,” said Nassir, blaming the trailer driver for negligence.

    He urged Kenyans to respect the family’s privacy as they mourn their daughter and commended Mombasa Hospital staff for their professionalism in handling the victims and ensuring their recovery.

  • Cambodia unveils statue to honour famous landmine-sniffing rat

    Cambodia unveils statue to honour famous landmine-sniffing rat

    A famous mine-clearing rat, who was awarded a gold medal for his heroism, has been commemorated with the world’s first statue dedicated to a landmine-detecting rat.

    Magawa, who lived to eight years old, sniffed out over 100 landmines and other explosives in Cambodia during his five-year career that started in 2016.

    A statue of the rodent carved from local stone by artists was unveiled in Siem Reap, Cambodia on Friday, in time for the International Day for Mine Awareness on 4 April.

    Landmines remain an ongoing risk to Cambodia, and more than a million people continue to work and live on land contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance, according to the United Nations.

    Magawa, an African giant pouched rat, was trained by the Belgian charity Apopo before moving to Cambodia to begin his bomb-sniffing career in 2016.

    Using his acute sense of smell and training to detect a chemical compound within explosives, Magawa would then alert human handlers of mines that could be later safely removed.

    During his time, Magawa cleared more than 141,000 square metres (1,517,711 sq ft) of land – the equivalent of 20 football pitches – and could search a field the size of a tennis court in just 20 minutes.

    In 2020, Magawa was awarded the PDSA Gold Medal – known as the George Cross for animals – for his “life-saving devotion to duty”. He was the first rat to be given the medal in the charity’s 77-year history.

    Following a short retirement due to old age and “slowing down”, Magawa died in 2022.

    Apopo’s Cambodia Programme Manager, Michael Raine, said on Friday the monument for Magawa “is a reminder to the international community that there’s still a job to be done here”.

    Cambodia now has a target date of 2030 to become mine-free, he added.

    The charity has been training its rodents, also known as HeroRATS, since the 1990s.

    Because of their small size, the rats are not heavy enough to detonate mines, making them a safer option than humans.

    They can even detect tuberculosis, an infectious disease that commonly affects the lungs, far quicker than it would be found in a lab using conventional microscopy, Apopo has said.

    They have also been trained to prevent illegal wildlife trafficking in Tanzania.

    Another Apopo-trained rat, named Ronin, set a new world record in 2025 by uncovering 109 landmines and 15 items of unexploded ordnance since 2021.

    Ronin’s impressive work in Cambodia’s northern Preah Vihear province surpassed the previous record held Magawa.

  • SHA fraud: Duale says over 1,000 facilities closed, hundreds under investigation

    SHA fraud: Duale says over 1,000 facilities closed, hundreds under investigation

    Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale says over 1,000 facilities have so far been closed while hundreds more are under investigation for attempting to illegally claim public funds from the Social Health Authority (SHA).

    Speaking on Saturday, Duale identified Homa Bay, Bungoma, Mandera, Wajir, and Kisii as hotspots for health fraud, particularly among private facilities.

    He revealed that since March 30, twelve facilities have been shut down on allegations of fraud.

    The CS said 24 facilities are currently undergoing forensic audit by special investigators from SHA, while the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is probing a total of 250 facilities.

    Further, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has received 30 case files, with 18 facilities already facing court proceedings.

    Duale reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Universal Health Coverage, vowing that no public funds intended for patients will be misappropriated.

    He said the ministry will continue to protect critical resources meant for public healthcare.

    The CS spoke when presided over a celebratory graduation ceremony at the Hawa Kosar Islamic Centre in Garissa County where commended 25 girls who graduated with a high school-level Islamic Studies certificate.

  • Not all pre-2012 voters need to register afresh, IEBC clarifies

    Not all pre-2012 voters need to register afresh, IEBC clarifies

    The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has clarified that Kenyans who registered as voters before 2012 do not need to register afresh, except for those whose details were not captured in the biometric system.

    “Not all pre-2012 voters are required to register afresh. Only those who missed registration in 2012 and have never enrolled under the biometric system need to do so to be included in the current register,” said IEBC.

    The commission explained that before 2012, the Register of Voters (ROV) was manual, but the 2012 transition introduced biometric registration following the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the delimitation of electoral boundaries.

    “Before 2012, the ROV was manual. In 2012, it went biometric and so all eligible Kenyans were required to enrol and their Biometrics captured. This is the ROV that has been in place since 2013,” IEBC stated.

    The electoral body noted that as of the 2022 General Election, the biometric register comprised 22,120,458 voters, all verified and audited.

    So far, 344,316 new voters have been registered, while 18,610 individuals have transferred their registration, with 329 changing or updating their particulars.

    Registered voters wishing to transfer their vote to new polling centers have been asked to present themselves to the receiving Registration Officer at the IEBC Constituency Office where they wish to transfer.

    IEBC has urged all eligible voters to take advantage of the opportunity to be included in the Register of Voters during the exercise, which runs until April 28, 2026.

  • PS Liban, KPC MD Joe Sang, EPRA CEO Kiptoo resign as fuel supply probe intensifies

    PS Liban, KPC MD Joe Sang, EPRA CEO Kiptoo resign as fuel supply probe intensifies

    Principal Secretary for Petroleum Mohamed Liban has resigned as probe into the importation of substandard fuel intensifies.

    In a press release issued Saturday, Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei confirmed that Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director Joe Sang and Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria had also stepped down.

    The resignations follow the arrest of the three officials by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over the alleged importation of substandard fuel in breach of existing supply arrangements.

    Koskei said preliminary findings indicate that senior officials tasked with overseeing the petroleum supply chain may have manipulated data on local fuel stocks to create a false impression of an impending shortage.

    “The President notes with grave concern that primary duty bearers responsible for administering the petroleum supply chain may have manipulated data on in-country fuel stocks. This appears to have been done to exploit rising global prices and public anxiety, thereby creating a false impression of an impending supply shortfall,” said Koskei.

    He revealed that the cargo was sourced outside the Government-to-Government (G2G) fuel supply framework introduced in 2023 and was procured at inflated prices, in violation of established emergency procedures.

    “The shipment in question was procured in blatant breach of the G2G framework, at a price significantly above the contracted rates, in complete disregard of established emergency procurement procedures, and was of substandard quality,” Koskei stated.

    He warned that the government will take firm action against any individuals found culpable of acts deemed to constitute economic sabotage.

    “Petroleum products as the backbone of the economy, and in recognition of the compelling public interest, the matter has been escalated to the relevant investigative agencies for a full and comprehensive inquiry. All governance actors within the sector are required to provide full access to relevant information to facilitate investigations.”

    Meanwhile, administrative action has been initiated against Deputy Director of Petroleum Joseph Wafula, while the Kenya Pipeline Company has begun disciplinary proceedings against Supply and Logistics Manager Joel Mburu, who are alleged to have been involved in the irregular procurement.