magicnewskenya

By Judith Mwai Parents with children in informal schools across Nairobi are calling on the county government to extend the Dishi na County school feeding programme to cover their institutions, citing high daily meal costs and rising economic hardship. Jerantine Mutio, a parent at Flama Education Center, said she pays Sh30 per child per day for meals under the school’s feeding programme. With two children in school, she spends Sh60 daily — a cost she says is difficult to sustain. “If I had a child in a county public school under Dishi na County, I would only pay Sh5. But here I pay Sh30 per child. Sometimes you don’t even have the money,” she said, appealing to the government to subsidize meals for children in informal settlements. The Dishi na County programme, run by Nairobi City County, currently targets over 300,000 learners in public schools, where parents pay Sh5 per meal. Abdi Mohamed, Head of the School Feeding Programme at Nairobi City County, said the county is rev...

By Wilson Amondo  Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), in partnership with DigiTax, has engaged manufacturers in high-level talks on navigating VAT compliance under the Kenya Revenue Authority’s Tax Invoice Management System (TIMS) and Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS). The industry seminar, held in Nairobi on February 26, 2026, came amid intensified enforcement by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), which has adopted automated, real-time invoice validation to seal revenue leakages and enhance transparency. The forum, themed Operational Impact and Issues Affecting VAT Compliance Through TIMS/eTIMS, addressed mounting concerns among manufacturers as eTIMS reshapes procurement, supplier management, and financial reporting processes. Under KRA’s expanded validation framework, income and expenses declared in tax returns are now cross-checked against data transmitted through eTIMS, alongside customs and withholding tax records.  This shift has elevate...

By Wilson Amondo The 2026 International Symposium on Streptococcus and GBS Disease (ISSAD) is set to kick off in East Africa, bringing together top experts to tackle the pressing issue of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease. This year's conference is particularly significant, as it coincides with a surge in GBS cases in sub-Saharan Africa. As the opening panel takes the stage, discussions will center around the latest vaccine candidates in clinical trials, with a focus on maternal immunisation approaches that could protect both mothers and newborns. The plenary session on disease burden and surveillance will reveal updated global estimates, highlighting the daunting data gaps in Africa and South Asia. But it's not just about numbers – the conference will delve into the human impact of GBS disease, with stories of stillbirths, prematurity, and maternal mortality. The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network will share recent data, shedding ...

By Wilson Amondo A fresh political storm has erupted within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after Oketch Salah publicly responded to remarks made by Ruth Odinga, sister to the late Raila Odinga. In a strongly worded statement, Salah accused Ruth of making “inaccurate” claims during an appearance before a major media house, insisting that his relationship was solely with her late brother and not with the wider Odinga family. “If you do not wish to associate with me, that is entirely your choice,” Salah stated, adding that he had never forced himself into her life nor sought her attention.  He maintained that his engagement in ODM affairs and proximity to Raila were based purely on personal trust and political collaboration with the former Prime Minister. Salah further revealed details surrounding Raila’s final days, claiming he facilitated Ruth’s travel to India after receiving calls that she wished to join them.  He said he personally arranged her business cla...

The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya has sharply criticised the recent nominations to the National Land Commission, accusing the appointing authorities of sidelining critical land professionals required to steer the country’s land governance framework. In a strongly worded statement, the institution said it was disappointed by Notification of Presidential Action No. V of 2026 issued by the Executive Office of the President of Kenya announcing nominees for chairperson and six members of the commission.  The body argued that the apparent exclusion of experts in land survey, spatial planning, land law and land economics undermines the technical foundation envisioned in law. The surveyors pointed to Section 8 of the National Land Commission Act, which explicitly lists land-related disciplines as recognised fields of expertise for appointment.  They questioned whether the Selection Panel applied a transparent scoring system and whether qualified land professionals who ...

By Grace Mwende Makovu NAIROBI, Kenya, February 17, 2026 - Mumias Sugar Company has issued a detailed explanation to farmers over prolonged delays in cane harvesting, citing overlapping ownership disputes with rival millers, a three-month industry shutdown, and difficult terrain in Busia County as the primary obstacles to smooth operations. In a public notice dated February 11, 2026, the miller acknowledged that harvesting activities have been severely disrupted by conflicts in the field over claims of self-developed cane. The company specifically named competitors West Kenya Sugar Company and Busia Sugar Industry, alleging that overlapping claims have led to complaints lodged with regulators and interruptions to harvesting operations, including the harassment of harvesting teams. The statement from Mumias Sugar reveals a chaotic situation in the sugarcane belt where multiple millers are operating in close proximity. With West Kenya and Busia Sugar both active in the r...

By Wilson Amondo In a sweeping public reversal, former Disability League organizing secretary Mohamed Haji has issued a forceful apology to several prominent Somali leaders and announced his immediate defection from the Democratic Congress Party (DCP) to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). Haji delivered the statement Tuesday before community elders, citing a personal reckoning and deep political disillusionment. He opened with a direct apology to Abduwali, a man he said he wrongly denounced due to a similarity of name in a past “political game.” “I am apologizing publicly for denouncing him, depriving him of his right as a Kenyan,” Haji stated unequivocally. He extended the apology to what he termed “important pillars” of the Somali community: Senator Abdul Adam Barre, former Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim, and former Assistant Minister Aden Kainan. He pledged to no longer use vulgar words against them.“Disrespecting them is not the norm of Somali culture,” he said. “I seek...