Kenya Daily Monitor

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct. 2, 2026  Kamukunji parliamentary aspirant Omar Aden today joined leaders and Kenyans in a nationwide candlelighting ceremony marking the first anniversary of the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) began a month-long programme honouring its former leader.  PHOTO:  Hon. Omar Aden during the candlelighting held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi ODM designated October as “Mwezi wa Baba” and called on Kenyans at home and abroad to light candles at 6 p.m. in remembrance of Odinga, who died in India on Oct. 15, 2025, aged 80.  Aden, who recently joined ODM as a lifetime member and is seeking the Kamukunji parliamentary seat in the 2027 elections, was among those participating in the commemoration.  The candlelighting marks the start of a series of activities planned across the country, including an ODM memorial rally in Kakamega on Oct. 9 and further events in Garissa, the Coast, Kajiado, T...

Hon. Omar Aden has formally joined the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) as a lifetime member, launching his bid to unseat Kamukunji Member of Parliament Yusuf Hassan in Kenya's 2027 general election. PHOTO: Hon. Omar Aden addressing the media after receiving his lifetime membership certificate in Nairobi Aden received his ODM membership certificate at a ceremony at Chungwa House in Nairobi, where he said his campaign would focus on accountability, transparency and inclusive leadership if elected. “I thank all supporters, the party and friends who have put their trust in me to lead them. My tenure will be marked by accountability and inclusive leadership,” Aden said. Aden's entry into the race comes as political alignments in Kamukunji shift ahead of the 2027 election. Hassan, who has represented the constituency since 2011, left the Jubilee Party in August and joined former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).  The move has ope...

SHANZU, MOMBASA — In a impassioned address to hundreds of teacher trainees and local youth at the Shanzu Teachers Training College in Kisauni, Mombasa County Woman Representative Hon. Zamzam Mohamed issued a stern call to action on TVET skill integration, financial inclusion, and youth empowerment. Addressing the student body and regional administrative officials, Hon. Zamzam emphasized that standard academic qualifications are no longer enough to insulate young Kenyans from the growing economic squeeze and rising unemployment rates. Key Highlights from the Address:  Expanding National bursary and NG-AAF Access: The Woman Rep announced an expanded allocation from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NG-AAF) to support needy trainees at the college, promising targeted bursary disbursements for students taking technical and diploma teaching courses.  Call to Embrace NYOTA & TVET Initiatives: Hon. Zamzam challenged young people in Kisauni and across Mo...

By Njeri Irungu More than 800 boda boda riders in Narok County have been urged to strengthen their financial management skills as lenders and industry representatives seek to reduce loan repayment challenges among motorcycle operators. The riders received financial literacy training on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, focusing on budgeting, cash-flow management, understanding credit agreements and planning for regular loan repayments. The training, organised by Mogo Kenya in partnership with the Boda Boda Association of Kenya (BAK), is part of a wider programme targeting motorcycle operators in different parts of the country. Financial management has become increasingly important in the boda boda sector, where riders receive and spend income on a daily basis while also meeting household expenses and servicing loans used to acquire their motorcycles. Narok County Boda Boda Chairman said riders can easily find themselves unable to meet repayment obligations when money intended ...

Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) has launched a new company called MEDS Devane Company Limited (MDCL). The new company will sell medicines and medical supplies to private hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and laboratories in Kenya. It opens for business on 1 November 2026. The launch took place on Tuesday in Nairobi during a colourful ceremony to mark MEDS' 40th anniversary. Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale launched the new company, together with a new training school called the MEDS-Strathmore Supply Chain Academy. MDCL will supply quality medicines, medical consumables, laboratory products, infection prevention items, orthopaedic implants and equipment. It will first serve Kenya, and later it hopes to serve other East African countries. Rt. Rev. Benard Owuor, Chair of the MDCL Board of Directors, said the private health sector needs a partner that understands how urgent and complex healthcare work is. "As Kenya's healthcare landscape conti...

By Njeri Irungu Dr Stanley Kamau has added a continental accolade to a career that has taken him from confronting a childhood health challenge to supporting vulnerable communities across Kenya. PHOTO:  Congolese Ambassador to Rwanda H.E. Mokiemo Jean Felix presents the Top 100 Africa Most Influential Persons award to Dr Stanley Kamau of Ahadi Kenya Trust in Kigali, Rwanda. Kamau was honoured in Kigali, Rwanda, on Friday, September 25, when he received a Community Service Honour at the 2026 Top 100 Africa Most Influential Persons Awards. The recognition comes against the backdrop of his long association with the campaign against jiggers, a condition he encountered while growing up in Murang'a County and which later became one of the causes he committed himself to addressing. His experience with affected families gave him an early understanding of how a health problem can also become a social and economic burden, particularly for children and households already living in ...