The US has increased its interest in Kenya’s mining sector amid an aggressive pursuit for access to African rare earth minerals including in the DRC, vital for defense and tech. Both US officials and Western-backed consortia have shown interest, with Australian firms RareX and Iluka Resources targeting the site. US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials, Critical Minerals and Metals, Josh Kroon, has however singled out America as “a partner” rather than countries that invest, mine and leave after projects. It is planning to increase its mining sector contribution from a mare one per to 10 per cent of the GDP by 2030. Key perks also feature streamlined licensing, free foreign ownership, royalty sharing and geological data support for critical minerals.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and a section of Orange Democratic Movement leaders have revealed plans to begin Linda Mwananchi Tours. The branding “Linda Mwananchi” (protect the citizen) signals a commitment to prioritising ordinary voters’ concerns over elite political rhetoric, according to public posts tied to the initiative. Beyond citizen engagement, the tour also serves a strategic positioning purpose for Sifuna, Owino and allied legislators in the broader political landscape. The Linda Mwananchi Tour is taking shape against the backdrop of internal divisions within ODM. The faction has maintained a critical stance toward the current broad-based government alignment pursued by other ODM figures, reflecting divergent political strategies within the party.

Trump has signed into law the legislation that reauthorizes AGOA trade preference programme through December 31, 2026, with retroactive effect to September 30, 2025. Kenya’s private sector has so far welcomed the extension which ensures continuity for Kenyan exporters, albeit for a short period. “Through AGOA, Sub-Saharan countries have undergone significant economic development, created opportunities for employment, earned forex exchange, reduced poverty and integrated good governance and political systems within their respective countries,” Alando said. In Kenya, AGOA has led to socio-economic growth, through employment of approximately 68,000 people supporting close to 700,000 dependents. Kenya among other eligible Sub-Saharan African countries have been pushing for an extension of AGOA which expired on September 30, last year.

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaPostal Code

The government tried to get around this by removing the complex from the register of protected buildings but now Culture Minister Nikola Selakovic is on trial for abuse of office, accused of using his position to influence or falsify documents to revoke Generalstab's cultural heritage status.

However, Nassir said ODM has historically relied on goodwill from its leaders and supporters rather than formal party funds. If there is an activity in Mombasa or the Coast, the governor, not in his position as governor but as deputy party leader, will personally mobilise resources to ensure it succeeds,” he said. Nassir also addressed remarks by Sifuna suggesting that a deputy party leader should automatically assume leadership following former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s death. He said the decision to appoint Oburu Odinga as acting party leader followed consultations and approval across party organs. “The Constitution was written with the understanding that even its author, Raila Odinga, would not live forever.

2:40 pm | KTN News 6 viewsFollow the KTN News channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va5mI2g5Ui2go7I2JN3C Buy or Sell a Car? - https://motors.digger.co.ke/for-sale Read The Standard e-Paper now! - https://epaper.standardmedia.co.ke/ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/user/standardgroupkenya?sub_confirmation=1 ╔═╦╗╔╦╗╔═╦═╦╦╦╦╗╔═╗ ║╚╣║║║╚╣╚╣╔╣╔╣║╚╣═╣ ╠╗║╚╝║║╠╗║╚╣║║║║║═╣ ╚═╩══╩═╩═╩═╩╝╚╩═╩═╝ For any questions or inquiries regarding this video, please reach out to newsdesk@standardmedia.co.ke Get the latest and Breaking news https://www.standardmedia.co.ke ---------------------------------------------------------------- follow us on all of these • Facebook - / KTNNewsKenya • Twitter - / KTNnewske • Instagram - / ktnnews • TikTok - / ktnnewske • Hiring or want to be hired? - https://jobs.digger.co.ke/all-open-vacancies-kenya/ --------------------------------------------------------------------

A scathing attack in the Australian Senate has exposed deep rifts over political integrity and corporate influence. Greens Senator Nick McKim has launched a blistering offensive against One Nation, branding it the "party of billionaires" rather than the champion of the working class it claims to be. The confrontation erupted following revelations that One Nation leader Pauline Hanson accepted undisclosed luxury travel from mining magnate Gina Rinehart. The controversy centers on a private jet flight Hanson took from Melbourne to Sydney in October last year, courtesy of Rinehart’s company. Hanson failed to meet this deadline, a breach that McKim argues is symptomatic of a party compromised by big money.

Fees have risen from Sh56,000 to Sh105,000 per year for tuition alone.” KUTVET Secretary General Kepher Ogwui said. Ogwui said the rising costs have led to declining enrolment and high dropout rates in public technical institutions across the country. KUTVET warned that the challenges in public TVETs are pushing parents to private institutions, some of which lack qualified trainers. “Some parents insist on taking their children to private institutions simply because they want a certain exam. He added that some private colleges rely on trainers from public institutions to teach their students.

Man convicted of Trump assassination attempt sentenced to lifeRyan Routh, the man accused of hiding in the bushes of a Florida golf course with a semi-automatic rifle to try to assassinate Donald Trump less than two months before the 2024 US election that returned him to the presidency, was sentenced by a judge on Wednesday to life in prison. Routh, 59, was convicted by a jury last September of five criminal counts, including attempted assassination after serving as his own defense lawyer at trial. “It’s clear to me that you engaged in a premeditated, calculated plot to take a human life,” Cannon said. Prosecutors had recommended a life sentence while Routh had asked the judge, a Trump appointee, to impose a 27-year term. “Ryan Routh’s heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President — it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system,” Bondi said.

A Florida man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for attempting to kill President Donald Trump at a golf course in 2024. The sentencing followed his conviction by a federal jury on all five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate. The AK-47 rifle left behind by Wesley Ryan Routh in a foiled assassination attempt of US President Donald Trump in September 2024. Between August 18 and September 15, 2024, Routh's phone accessed cell towers near Trump International Golf Club and Mar-a-Lago on multiple occasions. "Ryan Routh's heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President, it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system," stated Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua welcomes EALA MP Kanini Kega to DCP party on February 4, 2026. [Courtesy]East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament Kanini Kega has ditched the Jubilee party to join Rigathi Gachagua's Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP). "DCP party requires great legal minds for legislation, representation, and oversight. DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua welcomes former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi to the party on February 4, 2026. His persistence paid off in 2013 when he won the Kieni seat on a The National Alliance (TNA) ticket, defeating Namesyus Warugongo.

Former IEBC CEO Marjan Marjan during a past event at the Kenya School of Government Lower Kabete. [File ,Standard]After serving at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for more than a decade, Hussein Marjan became the longest-serving senior official in the electoral agency’s history. Marjan joined the commission in March 2015 as Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Support Services, replacing Wilson Sholei. An accounting and audit expert, he was tasked with overseeing administrative, financial and logistical functions at the Secretariat.

When IEBC and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) have announced a partnership to mobilise voters on February 4, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says it has not extended the controversial contract for voting technology provider Smartmatic. Chairman Erastus Ethekon also maintained that the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Hussein Marjan was in the best interest of the nation, but declined to confirm if it had anything to do with the contract for Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits.

We must build a new political order based on our constitutional economic order statecraft. President William Ruto has not changed the structure of the economic system. Dr Ruto sold a political narrative packaged as the hustler economy (bottom up). He quickly abandoned his hustler economy narrative. His political narrative of the hustler economy was never a new economic order.