Audio By VocalizePresident Ruto at Garissa High School grounds during the disbursement of NYOTA programme start-up capital to young entrepreneurs, including refugees. [PCS]Even as President William Ruto launched the much-touted Nyota programme in North Eastern with fanfare, the politics displayed at the event stood in sharp contrast to the gnawing hunger and desperation gripping families beyond the rally grounds. President William Ruto, Deputy President Prof Kindiki at Garissa High School grounds. "I want President Ruto to think about the people in the North Eastern Kenya who are affected by hunger. This government is focused on solving Kenyans’ problems one by one, step by step, under President William Ruto’s leadership," he added.

Audio By VocalizeTreasury CS John Mbadi before the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, at Glee Hotel, Kiambu Road, on January 13, 2026 . Mbadi's purported economic wizardry is akin to what youths in the streets call pandisa, which means a fanciful conflation of things. I’ll let Mbadi speak for himself so that we gain some insights about his thought process. If I am sick, what privacy do I need, and if I’m dying? If we’re sick and dying as a nation, and I think we are, the last fragments of our humanity that we’d need is to die in dignity.

A man who ran towards President William Ruto as he was making a speech in Wajir has spoken out, giving his account of what transpired. Security officers quickly intervened, restraining and whisking him away, momentarily disrupting the President’s remarks. However, President Ruto intervened, calling on his security detail to handle the situation calmly. On February 6, a similar security scare occurred in Mombasa when another unidentified man ran towards Ruto as he addressed beneficiaries of the Nyota youth empowerment programme. However, Ruto intervened, telling one of the officers, “Habari yako boss, wachana naye,” urging them to momentarily let the man speak.

[PCS]President William Ruto will officiate the reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border in April, ending a 15-year closure imposed during the Al-Shabaab insurgency. For that reason, I will be returning here in April to officially open the border post linking Kenya and Somalia," Ruto said. Ruto urged Mandera residents and regional leaders to provide timely intelligence to help dismantle Al-Shabaab networks that might exploit the border reopening. A fresh attempt in 2023 to reopen the border in phases was suspended in July that year following a surge in Al-Shabaab activities. The announcement followed a petition from the Nyambene Miraa Trade Association Chairman seeking access to the border for miraa farmers and traders.

President William Ruto during the launch of Kenya Kwanza Alliance manifesto. [File, Standard]New details filed in court reveal how Kenya Kwanza’s political shareholding arrangement fueled the feud between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and President William Ruto, ultimately leading to his removal from office. The revelations appear in a fresh affidavit in Gachagua’s impeachment case, filed at the High Court on Thursday.

The appeal is Mr. Fahie’s main legal path forward after a trial that ended in a sweeping guilty verdict and a prison sentence of 11 years and three months. During Mr. Fahie’s trial in February 2024, jurors heard clandestine recordings of a DEA confidential source — who Mr. Fahie knew as “Roberto Quintero” — explaining to Mr. Fahie that the cartel’s cocaine would be concealed as waterproof construction materials. Mr. Fahie’s third argument addresses incidents that occurred after his guilty verdict was read in court. According to the appeal, two jurors stayed behind after being discharged and told a court officer they were unhappy with the verdict and would have found Mr. Fahie not guilty. Mr. Fahie is asking the appellate court to dismiss the case due to what he calls “egregious government misconduct” and throw out the cocaine-conspiracy conviction for insufficient evidence.

Audio By VocalizeStacks of maize at the Eldoret National Cereals and Produce Board depot. [File, Standard]The Government has flagged off the 2026 Long Rains National Fertiliser Subsidy Programme, aiming to support farmers during the planting season as drought pushes millions into acute food insecurity. Principal Secretary for Agriculture Dr. Paul Kiprono Rono said the fertiliser will be transported to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots using the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to ensure timely distribution. The move comes as the Government warns that current food relief stocks will last only two to three weeks. The Cabinet authorised Sh4.1 billion on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to scale up drought relief, supplementing allocations made in December 2025 and January 2026.

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[Stafford Ondego, Standard]Siaya Governor James Orengo has accused President William Ruto of fueling turmoil within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), following the ouster of Edwin Sifuna as the party’s secretary-general. “If you watched the speeches I have made where President Ruto is, I have implored him not to kill political parties because I saw this coming…The problem in ODM is President Ruto,” claimed Orengo. The Siaya County chief accused Ruto of undermining political parties for his own political gain and of dividing ODM leaders by engaging some members while sidelining others. “We are asking President Ruto to let ODM be. “He has been holding meetings with some ODM members while excluding others.”Despite yesterday’s decision by the NEC, Orengo insisted that Sifuna remains the Party’s legitimate secretary-general.

Jack and the Beanstalk opens at St Helens Theatre Royal on February 14 and runs until February 22, promising "giant fun" throughout the February half term. Chantelle Joseph, St Helens theatre manager and panto director, said: "Jack and the Beanstalk is one of the tallest tales in panto and it’s always a real favourite at St Helens, so I can’t wait to bring it back to the Theatre Royal stage from this weekend. Mr Heath is no stranger to the St Helens stage and previously played Jack in 2023. Mr Aucott returns as Dame Dolly Trott, adding to his long list of Dame comedy roles at the Theatre Royal. Jack and the Beanstalk is directed by Ms Joseph, with choreography by Nazene Langfield and music direction from Callum Clarke.

Gachagua said he would only face President William Ruto in a presidential contest. “I have heard an employee of William Ruto was inviting me to some debate,” Gachagua said. “Laughable!”“I don’t debate or engage employees of William Ruto. The event was presided over by President William Ruto, who oversaw the disbursement of NYOTA funds. President Ruto, however, appeared to distance himself from the debate proposal and cautioned against escalating the confrontation.

Johnstown, PA (15901)TodayCloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High around 30F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..TonightPartly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.

Sifuna reflected on his tenure in the party, noting his length of service as Secretary-General. He linked his leadership journey to the late party leader, Raila Odinga. “He understood my reasons and accommodated them.”Turning to the current leadership dynamics within ODM, Sifuna raised concerns about what he described as procedural breaches. Sifuna appealed to party members to assess the direction the party is taking. “I remain a loyal member and the SG of the ODM Party,” he said.

Kisumu woman representative Ruth Odinga is among four ODM NEC members who reportedly tried to save Edwin Sifuna from being removed as secretary general. Photos: Ruth Odinga, Edwin Sifuna. After the heated deliberations, Ruth Odinga shared a photo of herself appearing deep in thought during the Mombasa meeting. ODM leader Oburu Oginga chaired the party's NEC meeting that saw Edwin Sifuna fired as secretary general. During the same meeting, ODM signalled its intention to formally exit the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition.

Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala and HELB CEO Geoffrey Monari before the Senate's Education Committee at Bunge Towers, Parliament,Nairobi. [File, Standard]Major changes are in the offing that could see the merger of key student financing and placement bodies. Proposals fronted by the Cabinet are seeking to have the Higher Education Loans Board, the Universities Fund Board, the TVET Funding Board and the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service consolidated into a single agency.