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  • Why I stood with Ol Kalou

    Why I stood with Ol Kalou

    Today, the people of Ol Kalou go to the ballot to choose their next Member of Parliament.

    I have spent my days among them in their markets and shopping centres, on their unfinished roads, beside their water points and dispensaries. I did not go there to trade insults or to fight anyone.

    I went because I believe leadership is measured by the work you are willing to do for people, and by whether you show up when it matters.

    Ol Kalou is not a stranger to me. It is part of the Mount Kenya family I have served all my public life, and it carries the same hopes and frustrations I hear across our region every single day. Families want tarmacked roads that survive the rains.

    Mothers want water that reaches the tap. Young people want bursaries, opportunities and a reason to stay and build their lives at home. These are not partisan demands. They are the ordinary, dignified expectations of Kenyans who simply want their leaders to deliver.

    This by-election was called in painful circumstances, following the passing of David Kiaraho, who served this constituency for thirteen years. I did not campaign to erase his legacy but to protect it. Every road he began, every project he fought for, every promise still waiting to be fulfilled these deserve a leader who understands the work and will finish it.

    Continuity is not a slogan to me. It is the difference between a project completed and a project abandoned.

    I know that politics in our region has grown loud, and too often bitter. There are those who believe the way to win is to shout the loudest, to insult the most, to divide our people into camps. I do not accept that. I have chosen a different path one of development first, and drama never.

    I would rather be judged by a hospital that opens than by an insult that trends. Our people are tired of leaders who fight each other while the roads crumble beneath them.

    So I stood with Ol Kalou to say, plainly, that development is delivered by those who work with the Government, not against it. When leaders and the national Government pull in the same direction, resources flow, projects move, and families feel the difference in their daily lives.

    That is the case I made, respectfully, to every voter I met not with threats, but with a record and a promise.

    I also stood for peace. I urged every voter, every agent and every candidate to keep this contest calm and orderly, and to respect the verdict of the people once it is delivered.

    Democracy is at its best when it is peaceful. Whatever the outcome, Ol Kalou will remainone community the morning after, and it deserves leaders who help it heal rather than divide.

    Some will ask why a Governor from Kirinyaga would invest herself so fully in a neighbouring constituency’s by-election.

    My answer is simple. I do not see our region as a collection of separate fiefdoms to be guarded, but as one family whose children share the same dreams. When I show up for Ol Kalou, I am showing up for the same values I
    carry into every corner of Mount Kenya — service, delivery, and dignity for our people.

    Elections come and go. Seats are won and lost on a single day. But the work of
    development is longer than any one contest, and my commitment does not end when the ballots are counted. Win or lose, I will keep showing up, keep listening, and keep delivering in Ol Kalou, in Kirinyaga, and across the region I am proud to call home.

    That is the only kind of politics I know how to do, and the only kind our people truly deserve.

     

    The writer is the Governor of Kirinyaga County

    Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article do not represent the position of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. 

  • Cross-border peace committees strengthen peace efforts in Marsabit

    Cross-border peace committees strengthen peace efforts in Marsabit

    Efforts to strengthen peace and address cross-border challenges in Marsabit County have received a boost through community peace committees working to protect children, empower women and promote peaceful coexistence along the Kenya-Ethiopia border.

    The initiative, implemented by Strategies for Northern Development (SND) under the Kenya Community Engagement and Resilience Programme, brings together communities to tackle issues such as human trafficking, school dropouts, child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) while supporting livelihoods.

    Speaking during a community engagement forum, SND Programme Officer Wako Boru said the programme is equipping women and young people with skills and opportunities to improve their livelihoods and reduce their vulnerability to crime and violent extremism.

    “We are supporting women and young people through income-generating activities such as beekeeping so they can earn a living and improve their lives. We are also linking them to markets for their products to help them become self-reliant,” said Boru.

    He said creating economic opportunities for young people helps reduce idleness and lowers the risk of them being lured into criminal activities.

    Human rights activist and Chairperson of the Moyale Cross Border Peace Committee Shamsia Abdullahi said the peace committees have strengthened cooperation between communities living on both sides of the Kenya-Ethiopia border.

    “We have committees that deal with peace, school dropouts and child protection. Whenever a child drops out of school or crosses the border, we communicate quickly with teachers and other stakeholders so the child can be traced and returned to school,” she said.

    Abdullahi said the committees have also helped respond to cases of human trafficking, child marriage and FGM through close collaboration between communities.

    “There is nothing more important than peace. Without peace, there can be no development because people cannot live or work in a stable environment,” she said.

    She urged parents to guide their children and protect them from people who may exploit them to engage in violence or other illegal activities.

    As the country prepares for future elections, Abdullahi called on political leaders to promote peaceful campaigns.

    “We are asking leaders and all Kenyans to preach peace. We should not destroy property or fight one another because this country belongs to all of us. Peace is everyone’s responsibility,” she said.

    She also appealed to young people not to allow themselves to be used to cause violence, saying lasting peace is essential for development and the well-being of communities.

  • Wanyonyi, Arop renew Paris rivalry over 800m in London

    Wanyonyi, Arop renew Paris rivalry over 800m in London

    Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Marco Arop will renew their Olympic rivalry over two laps when the London Diamond League gets underway at London Stadium on Saturday, with the pair headlining a stacked men’s 800m field.

    Wanyonyi, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion, arrives in London on the back of a stunning run in Monaco, where he broke the world record for the 1000m.

    The Kenyan enters the London Stadium as the fastest man in the world over 800m this year, having clocked 1:41.84 in Paris last month, the third-fastest time of his career.

    Arop, who took Olympic silver behind Wanyonyi in Paris, is the reigning world champion and Canadian record holder over the distance.

    The two have developed one of athletics’ most compelling rivalries since their duel at the 2024 Games, and their London meeting adds another chapter to a series that has consistently produced fast times and close finishes.

    They won’t have it easy, either. American Bryce Hoppel, who set a national record with a fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics, joins the field, as does home favourite Max Burgin, who will be hoping to give the London crowd something to cheer in front of a sold-out stadium.

    The 800m clash is one of several standout middle-distance races on Saturday’s card, which also features Josh Kerr’s bid to break Hicham El Guerrouj’s 27-year-old mile world record and Keely Hodgkinson’s pursuit of the women’s 800m record in the meet’s closing event.

    Saturday’s meeting is the 11th stop of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season, which began in Shanghai in May and concludes with a two-day final in Brussels in September.

    With a combined 71 Olympic and world medals across the London start list, organisers are billing the event as one of the most competitive one-day meetings in the sport’s calendar.

  • NBA releases GMO product list, orders port agencies to enforce clearance rules

    NBA releases GMO product list, orders port agencies to enforce clearance rules

    The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) which regulates GMOs in the Country has released a list of commercially approved GM Plants, animals, microorganisms and veterinary vaccines, and their derived products.

    In a letter to government agencies operating at the entry and exit ports, dated 29th June 2026, NBA acting Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ann Karimi said importation of any product from these plants, animals, microorganisms or veterinary vaccines would require clearance by the Authority in line with provisions of the Biosafety Act.

    The letter was addressed to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Department of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Pest Control Products Board((PCPB), Directorate of Veterinary Services and Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI).

    “These products are traded globally between and among countries. The Authority has already profiled the relevant Harmonized System (HS) codes of these products, and we request the cooperation and assistance of your Officers at various entry and exit points to ensure that these products are cleared by NBA before their release,” said Dr. Karimi.

    She added that NBA officers are present at the points of entry/exit and will be able to advise accordingly on the steps to be taken in case of non-compliance.

    Among the approved GM products for cultivation are Bt Cotton in Kenya, Sudan, South Africa, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Nigeria and Malawi. Bt Cotton is also cultivated in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, Myanmar, Pakistan, Paraguay, USA, Bangladesh, Philippines, Indonesia, Uruguay.

    Countries where it’s  Bt Cotton is approved for Food, Feed, ornamental, and/or Processing and other uses; Australia, Costa Rica, Myanmar, Pakistan, USA, Bangladesh, Uruguay, European Union, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, Colombia, Paraguay, Philippines, Singapore, Canada, India, China, Indonesia, South Africa, Switzerland, UK, Turkey, Vietnam, USA, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Nigeria and Malawi.

    GM maize/corn has been approved for cultivation South Africa, Nigeria and Ethiopia

    Click here—>Commercialized GMOs to view the list of Globally Commercialized Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) (Plants, animals, microorganisms, and veterinary vaccines), and their derived products as of June 2025.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Harambee Starlets jet out to France for final WAFCON tune-up

    Harambee Starlets jet out to France for final WAFCON tune-up

    Harambee Starlets have jetted out to France for a week-long training camp in Miramas, marking the final phase of their preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

    The squad departed Nairobi on Wednesday after completing their last training session at the Kasarani Annex.

    The camp in southern France is designed to help players acclimatise to weather conditions similar to those they will face in Rabat and Marrakech, where Kenya’s group matches will be played.

    Head coach Beldine Odemba said the team had made encouraging progress in the buildup to the tournament, pointing to a series of friendly matches used to assess the squad’s readiness.

    “We have had a very good camp with friendly matches to gauge the girls. I am happy they are in good form and have shown great determination,” she said.

    The Starlets’ departure follows a State House send-off, where President William Ruto met the squad alongside the Junior Starlets, who recently qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

    Odemba said the gesture had given her players an added boost heading into the tournament.

    Captain Mwanahalima “Dogo” Jereko said the squad was determined to make history at just Kenya’s second WAFCON appearance. “The preparations have been intense, and we thank our coaches for guiding us well. I missed the 2016 WAFCON because I was sitting my national examinations, but this opportunity has come again,” she said.

    Kenya booked their WAFCON return after eliminating Tunisia on aggregate and defeating The Gambia 4-1 in the final qualifying round.

    The team will travel on to Morocco on July 23, ahead of a Group A opener against hosts Morocco on July 26, followed by matches against Senegal on July 30 and Algeria on August 3.

    Odemba has set her sights on a semi-final finish, a result that would also strengthen Kenya’s push for a first-ever place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

  • KALRO warns over looming food shortage over failed rains

    KALRO warns over looming food shortage over failed rains

    The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) is calling for urgent mitigation measures to address the expected food shortage in the country next year.

    According to the research organization, food baskets in the country had recorded crop-failure occasioned by climate change and failed rains.

    This comes at a time when parts of the country are already feeling the full effects of drought while fall-army worms have left a trail of destruction in maize growing regions.

    According to KALRO Director General Dr Patrick Ketiem, most of the maize growing regions had reported crop failure due to depressed rain.

    He said that the organization was keenly working with farmers in capacity building, introduction of new drought resistant crops and advising them to embrace irrigation.

    “We are finding that despite the technology, the issue of climate change is becoming very serious and across the country maize has done poorly due to depressed rainfall,” he said.

    Ketiem was addressing the press after the ground breaking ceremony of the Naivasha KALRO research Agri-park that will offer all the organization’s products, innovation and services to members of the public under one roof.

    The DG said that plans were underway to open more agri-parks in Thika, Kipkelion and Nyeri as part of bringing their services and products closer to the farmer.

    “The research Agri-Pack is designed to bring researchers, farmers and the other partners into one space and to be able to scale some of the technologies and innovations that we have developed over time,” he said.

    On his part, KALRO Chairman Dr Thuo Mathenge said the research institution had introduced a new maize variety that was resistant to fall-army worms.

    He said that the ‘mujeshi variety’ would come in handy in dealing with the worm that has left a trail of destruction across the country.

    Thuo added that the research organization would continue to support farmers through new seed varieties as one way of addressing food security in the country.

    “On the agri-park, this will offer our customers and farmers a chance to sample all our products and services under one roof,” he said.

    Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Josiah Odongo identified land grabbing as one of the major challenges facing KALRO adding that the government was keen to address this.

    “Most parts of the sub-county have recorded crop failure and this is a threat to food security but we are confident government institutions like KALRO will address this,” he said.

  • Argentina survive England scare to keep title defence alive

    Argentina survive England scare to keep title defence alive

    Argentina survive England scare to keep title defence alive

    Argentina survived a scare from England to reach the 2026 World Cup final, coming from behind to win 2-1 in a tense semifinal at Atlanta Stadium and keep their title defence alive.

    England took the lead in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon converted a low cross from Morgan Rogers, giving the Three Lions hope of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966.

    For much of the second half, Argentina struggled to break through, with Alexis Mac Allister denied by the post and Jordan Pickford making key saves to keep England ahead.

    But Argentina, as they have done throughout this tournament, found a way. Enzo Fernández levelled the score in the 85th minute with a rocket from the edge of the box, controlling a pass from Lionel Messi before finding the corner.

    Six minutes into stoppage time, Messi turned provider again, setting up Lautaro Martínez for a header that sent the Argentine bench into delirium and sealed a dramatic 2-1 win.

    The result extends Argentina’s remarkable run of comebacks at this World Cup, having already fought back against Egypt and gone through extra time against Cape Verde and Switzerland.

    It also sets up a final against European champions Spain on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium, as Argentina chases back-to-back titles for the first time since Brazil managed the feat in 1962.

    For England, the defeat prolongs a 60-year wait for a second World Cup and sends them into Saturday’s third-place playoff against France.

  • Kenya crashes out of Billie Jean King Cup Group III without a single win

    Kenya crashes out of Billie Jean King Cup Group III without a single win

    Kenya’s women’s tennis team crashed out of the Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III without a single win, confirming their relegation to Group IV for 2027.

    The team travelled to Gaborone, Botswana, for the July 13-18 tournament with hopes of returning to Group II after missing out via a semi-final loss to Morocco in Namibia last year.

    Instead, the campaign unravelled from the opening tie, when unseeded Ghana stunned second-seeded Kenya 3-0, a result that set the tone for a difficult week.

    Kenya, drawn in Pool B alongside Tunisia, Algeria and Ghana, failed to pick up a win in any of their round-robin matches, leaving them unable to advance to the promotion play-offs.

    The result confirms Kenya’s drop to Africa Zone Group IV alongside Burundi.

    The squad, captained without 2022 Wimbledon girls’ doubles champion Angella Okutoyi, featured regulars Stacy Yego and Roselida Asumwa alongside newcomers Faith Urasa and Felicia Ouko.

    Okutoyi’s absence was seen as a significant blow to Kenya’s promotion hopes, given her role in previous campaigns.

    The defeat marks a low point for a team that has spent recent years hovering just below Group II, and raises fresh questions for the Kenya Lawn Tennis Association over depth, preparation and funding heading into 2027.

    Eleven nations competed in Gaborone for two promotion spots to Europe/Africa Group II, with the bottom two sides in the standings dropping to Group IV.

    Kenya’s winless run means a rebuild is now needed before the team can mount another promotion push.

  • Kenya U-20 athletes undergo counselling session ahead of World Championships

    Kenya U-20 athletes undergo counselling session ahead of World Championships

    Kenya’s team for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, currently in a residential training camp in Kasarani, took some time off their routine training yesterday to attend a psychological training and counselling session organized by Athletics Kenya.

    The training, which focused primarily on psychological and emotional self-care, also included lessons on handling pressure, fame, finances, and relationships among athletes and their officials before and during the
    championship.

    Counselling Psychologist Dr. Agnes Nthangi said the key focus of the training was on preparing the young athletes for their upcoming World Championship.

    “We want the young people to feel that they are loved, they are accepted. We also want them to get rid of any negative emotion because young people usually develop feelings of shame, feelings of embarrassment. Especially when their adult companions are not able to correct them appropriately, “said Dr.Thangi

    “So, for young people we wanted them to develop mechanisms of communicating when they are not happy. With the adult companions, the adult companions include the coaches, the medical doctors, the physiotherapists and the managers who travel with them. “She added

    Dr. Nthangi called on the government and sports federations to prioritize counseling sessions for sportsmen and women.

    “Sports includes athletics, we have the football, we have the rugby and we have all the other sports in Kenya. Currently counselling psychology is not mainstreamed. So, the recommendation I would make to the government of Kenya is to actually see the importance of counselling in helping all the sport people whether they are in football, rugby, athletics in such a way that counselling is mainstreamed to support them so that their performance can move from the level it is at currently. “Stated Dr. Nthangi

    Athletics Kenya Chief Administrative Officer Susan Kamau, who attended the session, announced that the federation will make such training mandatory for Kenyan teams ahead of their international assignments, as it is also crucial in tackling the doping menace.

    “It is a deliberate move that we have made as Athletics Kenya to have the counsellors come and talk to them, we know that through this training, through the counsellors that we brought today, it is going to change their mindset and as they go, they will go prepared knowing that we have prepared them as Athletics Kenya, “said Kamau

    She also expressed confidence in the team’s performance in the championship.

    “Because this is something that has been studied. There is scientific evidence that mental preparation which we do as counsellors, that is what we usually do. We enhance performance in sport. This will be a continuous process and this is only the beginning. And we believe that when they are brought together, they are counselled together, they are guided together, they will go of course to participate and compete as individuals. “Said Kamau


    Kenya aims to improve on its 5th place finish at the 2024 Lima, Peru outing, where it secured 3 gold, 3 silvers, and a bronze medal.

    The team of 23 athletes, consisting of 12 boys and 11 girls, which reported for a residential training camp last week, will depart the country at the end of this month ahead of the global showpiece set for the 5th to the 9th of next month in Oregon, USA.

  • Buffett calls Bill Gates relationship with Epstein ‘distasteful’

    Buffett calls Bill Gates relationship with Epstein ‘distasteful’

    Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has described Bill Gates’ relationship with late sex offender Jeffery Epstein as “distasteful”, but said he himself had made mistakes in life by being friends with people “who weren’t great”.

    On Tuesday, Buffett’s firm Berkshire Hathaway stopped giving donations to the Microsoft co-founder’s charity for the first time in 20 years and instead handed his remaining stock to foundations linked to his family.

    Buffett told CNBC he and Gates have had a “wonderful friendship” but confirmed his pivot over donations followed Gates’ testimony to US Congress about Epstein.

    Gates called Buffett “a dear friend”, adding: “My gratitude to Warren is immeasurable.”

    Gates appeared before the US House Oversight Committee in June to answer questions about his relationship with Epstein, who died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

    In a transcript of his testimony, Gates said that he had been introduced to Epstein in 2011 as someone who could help raise billions of dollars for global health, which is a key focus of the Gates Foundation.

    He said: “I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed.”

    In 2008, Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and procuring a person under age 18 for prostitution.

    Gates told the committee: “I should never have met with Epstein in the first place. Based on what I know now, I understand that even if he had delivered the donors he promised, it would not have justified associating with him.”

    Buffett said on Wednesday he had read Gates’ testimony.

    He said: “While it’s distasteful, while he made mistakes, I’ve made mistakes in hiring all kinds of people, choosing friends and finding out later that one way or another they weren’t what I thought they were.

    “So, I found nothing in there that was beyond what I could picture myself doing.”

    Buffett said the decision to stop donations to the foundation did not come as a surprise to Gates. The two met around three weeks ago for three hours.

    The 95-year-old said: “At some point I had read what Congress had come up with, I’d read everything and all I can say is I don’t know whether I’ve done dumber things but I’ve done many dumb things in life.”

    Buffett added that he and Gates have had an “enormous number of good times together” since they met in 1991. “It has been a wonderful friendship,” he said.

    Gates said: “I cherish the time we spend together. I hope we have much more of it ahead.”

    SInce 2006, when Buffett pledged to make annual donations to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as it was then known, “throughout my lifetime”, he has given $47bn (£34.7bn) to the charity.

    But even without his backing, the foundation still holds “very substantial resources”, said Buffett.

    In 2025 alone, the Gates Foundation gave away $8.5bn in charitable support.

    While Buffett originally pledged a lifetime commitment two decades ago, he explained that his thinking has evolved over time.

    When he first made the pledge, Buffett noted that he did not feel his three children were ready to manage such vast sums, but he now believes they are fully capable and deeply aligned with his goals.