Kenya Daily Monitor

By John Toris & Liz Anyango  September 18, 2026 Learning across all public universities faces total paralysis following a one-month strike notice issued by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU). Frustrated by persistent government delays and deep-seated structural issues, the union has given the Ministry of Education a strict ultimatum. If the multi-billion shilling disputes remain unresolved within 30 days, academic staff across 41 public universities will down tools indefinitely.The looming industrial action is fueled by the following critical battlegrounds;  1. Stalled 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA ) - At the heart of the ultimatum is the stalled 2025–2029 CBA. UASU points out that the agreement was supposed to be fully signed and executed by late last year. Instead, negotiations have ground to a halt. Union officials have rejected state counter-offers, maintaining that current packages fail to cushion lecturers against rising inflati...

BY NJOKI KARANJA  KISUMU, Kenya . September 14, 2026  President William Ruto today officially commissioned the newly constructed Kisumu West Sub-County Police Headquarters in Otonglo, marking a major milestone in efforts to boost law enforcement infrastructure and curb rising security concerns across Kisumu County.   The modern facility, located at the heart of the rapidly expanding Otonglo commercial and residential hub, resolves a decades-long security demand dating back to local development plans from the 1990s. The new command center will serve as the primary operational base for Kisumu West, bringing critical policing services closer to residents while reducing response times to security incidents.   Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, President Ruto emphasized the national government's commitment to protecting citizens, maintaining law and order, and fostering economic growth in the Nyanza region.Those bent on causing chaos, violen...

By Njoki Karanja   KISUMU, Kenya — September 14, 2026 — President William Ruto today officially launched the state-of-the-art Sh314 million Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower at Kisumu International Airport, officially ushering in a new era for airspace safety and regional aviation connectivity across Western Kenya.   The presidential unveiling follows the technical completion and system integration led by lead contractor Eng. Polycarp Mburo of Polish Contractors, working alongside the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).This modern facility will significantly enhance aviation safety, air traffic handling, and airspace management across the Lake Region, positioning Kisumu as a critical gateway for regional trade and transport," President Ruto declared during the commissioning ceremony. A Modern Upgrade Replacing Aging Infrastructure The newly commissioned 8-storey tower replaces the airport's decades-old control structure, introducing advanced 360-degree panora...

By Njeri Irungu TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya has unveiled a new generation of its mobility card as the oil marketer moves to expand digital payment and fleet management services for businesses and individual motorists. PHOTO: A TotalEnergies service station attendant assists a motorist to process a secure mobile payment The New Generation TotalEnergies Card is designed to give customers greater visibility of transactions, tighter control of expenditure and more secure payment options across the company's service station network. The launch marks another stage in the evolution of a product that has served Kenyan motorists for more than two decades, having started as the Bon Voyage Fuel Card before developing into a wider mobility solution. TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya Managing Director Thibault Flichy said changing business needs had increased demand for technology that can help companies monitor and control fuel expenditure. He said the new card brings payment, transa...

By Liz Anyango  With just 11 months to Kenya’s next General Election, a coalition of religious leaders, professional bodies, and civil society organisations has issued a stark warning that the country is sleepwalking into another deeply polarised and potentially violent electoral contest without addressing the structural fault lines that have marred past polls.  Following a two-day National Stakeholders Convention at Ufungamano House in Nairobi, attended by six umbrella religious institutions, seven constitutional agencies, five professional bodies, and 21 civil society groups, delegates released a communiqué expressing rising anxiety over the 2027 vote. They cited political violence, the use of organised gangs to intimidate citizens, rampant monetisation of politics, institutional interference, misinformation, and the systematic exclusion of youth, women, and persons with disabilities as critical threats to both credibility and peace.  The religious leaders s...

By Hannah Njoki Karanja  NAIROBI, Kenya — A coalition of major religious bodies, constitutional agencies, and civil society organizations has raised a stark warning over escalating political tensions and systemic risks threatening Kenya's upcoming 2027 General Elections. Meeting under the National Stakeholders Convention at Ufungamano House in Nairobi on September 2–3, 2026, representatives from six umbrella religious institutions, seven constitutional agencies, five professional bodies, and 21 civil society organizations issued a joint communique urging nationwide vigilance 11 months ahead of the polls. Drawing on past electoral violence in 1997, 2007, and 2017, the convention warned that anxiety is mounting across the country over fear of state-sponsored intimidation and bloodshed historically linked to incumbency races. In their statement, titled "Towards a Better Kenya," delegates identified five critical risks threatening the credibility of the 2027 vote: political v...