Newswave kenya

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo: Alice Ruhweza president Alliance for green revolution in Africa (AGRA) The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has called for a renewed and integrated approach to agriculture, warning that Africa must accelerate the transformation of its food systems to meet growing food demand, create jobs and build resilience. Speaking during the launch of a report marking AGRA’s 20th anniversary, AGRA President Alice Ruhweza said the occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on progress made over the past two decades, identify remaining gaps and determine what needs to change to ensure farmers prosper. “When farmers prosper, Africa prospers,” Ruhweza said, stressing that farmers require functioning markets, fair value for their produce, finance, knowledge, infrastructure, healthy soils and supportive policies to improve productivity and incomes. Ruhweza said Africa had made significant progress compared with the 1980s and 1990s, when crop failures and ...

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo:A waste collection truck offloads garbage at the Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi as part of efforts under the Safisha Kanairo campaign to address the city’s waste management challenges. NAIROBI, Aug 30 — Efforts to transform Nairobi’s waste management system are gaining momentum under the second edition of the Safisha Kanairo campaign, with Zoomlion Kenya partnering with the Nairobi City County Government to clear accumulated waste, restore illegal dumping sites and promote waste recycling. The initiative targets legacy waste and illegal dumpsites across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties as the county intensifies garbage collection to improve public health, sanitation and environmental conditions. At Korogocho Market, where waste evacuation is ongoing, traders say the intervention has already improved the cleanliness of the busy commercial centre. Large amounts of organic waste generated by traders and residents had previously remained uncollected for long periods, ...

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo:Professor John Okumu is the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of Kenyatta University NAIROBI, Aug 29  — Professor John Okumu has assumed office as the seventh substantive Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University (KU), pledging to strengthen financial sustainability, staff welfare, student support and digital transformation at the institution. Speaking after his installation, Prof. Okumu said he was humbled by the opportunity to lead an institution whose history and development have been closely intertwined with his own academic career. “I accept this responsibility not as a stranger to this institution but as someone who knows its history, understands its strengths and appreciates its challenges and, above all, believes deeply in its possibilities,” he said. Prof. Okumu committed to serving the university with integrity, transparency, inclusivity and dedication, while working closely with the University Council, Senate, management, staff and stu...

 By Faith wanza mueni  NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug. 28, 2026 — East African Community (EAC) Partner States are seeking to translate regional education commitments into tangible action as countries move to strengthen cooperation, harmonise learning systems and equip young people with skills for the changing labour market. More than 600 delegates from the eight EAC Partner States are attending the second EAC Regional Education Conference in Nairobi, bringing together government officials, education practitioners, teachers, researchers, students, civil society organisations, development partners and academia. The four-day conference, held from August 25 to 28 at Safari Park Hotel, is being conducted under the theme “Transforming Education in East Africa: From Commitments to Impact, Fostering Resilience and Future-Ready Systems for Sustainable Development.” The conference builds on commitments made during the inaugural regional education conference held in Arusha, Tanzania, in August 2024...

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo: government spokesperson Charles Owino Government Spokesperson Charles Owino has challenged opposition leaders to move beyond calls for President William Ruto to leave office and tell Kenyans what they would do differently if elected. Owino said the Opposition was an important component of a democratic government and should provide Kenyans with alternative policies and solutions instead of concentrating on criticism of the administration. Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi, Owino urged Kenyans and the media to ask hard questions of both the Government and Opposition, saying political leaders must be held accountable for their promises and proposed policies. “We must have government at every time. We must have opposition at every time. But you must ask us hard questions,” Owino said. He challenged opposition leaders, particularly those seeking to mobilise young people, to explain their plans for the country beyond the 2027 elections. “The Preside...

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo:Cabinet Secretary for East African Community (EAC), ASALs and Regional Development Beatrice Askul Moe   NAIROBI, Aug. 26, 2026 — East African Community (EAC) partner states have renewed calls for stronger cooperation and harmonisation of education systems to improve learning outcomes, promote skills development and enhance the free movement of students and workers across the region. The call was made during the Second EAC Regional Education Conference held in Nairobi from Aug. 25 to 28, bringing together about 600 education stakeholders from the eight EAC partner states to review progress made in implementing regional education commitments. The conference, held under the theme “Transforming Education in East Africa: From Commitments to Impact, Fostering Resilience and Future-Ready Systems for Sustainable Development,” seeks to translate previous commitments into practical and measurable interventions. EAC Deputy Secretary-General Andrea Ariik said e...

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo: opiyo Wandayi cabinet secretary of petroleum during the press briefing on Wednesday,26th august  NAIROBI, August 26, 2026 — The Government has defended its ongoing crackdown on illegal liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operations, saying the enforcement is aimed at protecting consumers and curbing illicit trade in the sector. In a statement issued Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary J. Opiyo Wandayi said the Government would intensify enforcement against illegal LPG activities, dismissing allegations that the crackdown was targeting legitimate businesses. Wandayi said the Government was responding to remarks made earlier in the day by impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, which he described as “very unfounded allegations” touching on the safety of the Kenyan public. “Ordinarily we would have ignored him, because I think now Kenyans are used to his ranting. But because the matters he talked about touch on the safety of the Kenyan public, we have had to ...

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo Caption: Co-operatives and MSME Development CS Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya (centre) with Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni and other officials during the commissioning of the National Organizing Committee for Kenya’s participation in the 26th EAC MSMEs Trade Fair, scheduled for October 30 to November 8, 2026, in Kigali Rwanda  NAIROBI, Aug. 25 — Preparations for Kenya’s participation in the 26th East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair have intensified following the commissioning of a multi-sectoral National Organizing Committee. Co-operatives and MSME Development Cabinet Secretary Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya commissioned the committee on Monday ahead of the regional trade fair scheduled for October 30 to November 8, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda. The fair will be held under the theme, “Advancing Regional Value Chains in Leather and Horticulture,” and is expected to bring together more than 1,000 enterprises from the e...

By Josephine Ndambuki Josephine Ndambuki - Technopolis Development Authority Chief Manager, Business Development & Innovation Konza Technopolis is steadily building the infrastructure and ecosystem needed to position Kenya as a leading destination for technology, research and innovation, with investments, data-centre activity and tenant uptake showing signs of continued growth. The technopolis, which broke ground in 2013, is currently in what its management describes as a critical foundation-building phase, involving the development of data infrastructure, fibre connectivity, power redundancy, cloud capacity and other facilities necessary to support a mature innovation ecosystem. According to Josephine Ndambuki, Chief Manager, Business Development and Innovation at the Konza Technopolis Development Authority, the development of successful innovation hubs takes time and requires sustained investment before they can achieve their full potential. “History shows that innovation ecos...

By Faith wanza mueni  Human rights activists from the Alliance for Human Rights Activists & Defenders for Justice and Accountability during a press briefing in Nairobi. Photo/courtesy The civil society group is demanding an independent, comprehensive probe into the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of Rosemary Koech-Kimwatu, the bank's Head of Data Protection, alongside the handling of a contested Sh146.3 billion (€978.6 million) transaction involving Fox Capital Investment Limited. Addressing the press in Nairobi, human rights activist and public interest advocate Francis Awino stated that the temporary removal of the CEO is necessary to safeguard the integrity of ongoing investigations, prevent potential interference with electronic evidence, and protect key witnesses. "No Chief Executive Officer should remain in full control of a regulated financial institution while serious and credible allegations concerning his administration are awaiting investigation,...

By Faith wanza mueni  Photo caption: Officials from the Interior Designers Association of Kenya, Association of Construction Managers of Kenya and Architects Alliance address the media in Nairobi on Monday, August 24, 2026, during a joint briefing in which they rejected the Architectural and Quantity Surveying Practitioners Bill, 2026, in its current form, calling for comprehensive regulation of built environment professions. NAIROBI, — Built environment professional associations have rejected the Architectural and Quantity Surveying Practitioners Bill, 2026, calling for its withdrawal in its current form and the development of a comprehensive regulatory framework that recognises the distinct roles of each profession. The Interior Designers Association of Kenya (IDAK), Association of Construction Managers of Kenya and Architects Alliance said the proposed legislation seeks to place architects, quantity surveyors, interior designers, landscape architects, construction project mana...

 By Faith wanza mueni  Photo: top twenty Africa Business Entrepreneurs NAIROBI, Kenya — Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) has announced the 20 entrepreneurs who will compete in the 2026 Semi-Final scheduled for August 21–22 in Nairobi. The entrepreneurs were selected from an expanded Top 100 cohort drawn from more than 24,000 applications submitted across all 54 African countries. The selection process assessed candidates on leadership, innovation, social impact, scalability and commercial strength. The finalists also underwent company visits and comprehensive due diligence to assess their businesses, teams and impact within their communities. The 2026 Top 20 represent 12 African countries and 11 sectors, with women entrepreneurs accounting for 40 per cent of the cohort. Collectively, their businesses generated approximately US$85 million in 2025. The entrepreneurs operate across sectors including agritech, healthcare, manufacturing, climate technology, financial services, e...