EAST AFRICA TIMES

 Reporting by James Mutua  Neuro Kids Warriors on Tuesday convened families, caregivers, government officials, and advocates at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) in Nairobi for the World Hydrocephalus Month Conference, a forum dedicated to raising awareness and combating stigma around hydrocephalus and spina bifida. Speaking at the event, Neuro Kids Warriors founder Maureen Sharon Awino said the conditions remain among the most misunderstood disabilities in Kenya. “Hydrocephalus and spina bifida are silent disabilities. In many communities, people believe they are curses or punishments, but that is not true. Hydrocephalus is a disability like any other. It can be managed, though it cannot be cured,” she explained. Awino emphasized the importance of education and community awareness, noting that stigma often isolates parents and denies children opportunities to thrive. She thanked KISE, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), and partners such ...

Reporting by Jameson Mutua  The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has officially inaugurated its Expanded Polio Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility set to revolutionize disease surveillance and response in Kenya and across the region. The laboratory, hosted at KEMRI’s Centre for Virus Research in Nairobi, was unveiled on Tuesday by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale, alongside the Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga. Speaking during the inauguration, KEMRI’s Acting Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok, described the new facility as a landmark achievement in Kenya’s fight against polio and other infectious diseases. “For more than 20 years, KEMRI has hosted the Polio Laboratory, serving both as Kenya’s National Reference Laboratory and as an Inter-country Reference Laboratory for Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Comoros,” Prof. Songok said. “This expansion addresses a critical challenge that previously forced genomic sequencing of polio...

 Reporting by James Mutua  Pentecostal Voice of Kenya Association Chairman Apostle Peter Manyuru addressing the media in Nairobi on Saturday.  The Pentecostal Voice of Kenya Association (PVK), a coalition of interdenominational Pentecostal churches, has issued a stern warning to the Kenya Kwanza administration as it marks three years in office, accusing it of falling short on key promises in the economy, healthcare, housing, education, and governance. Speaking in Nairobi on Saturday, PVK Chairman Apostle Peter Manyuru said that while the government had made progress in some areas, most of its core pledges remain unfulfilled. On the economy, PVK acknowledged initial “commendable measures” such as stabilizing the shilling, easing commodity prices, and rolling out the Hustler Fund. However, Apostle Manyuru noted that citizens are now “left to their own means,” weighed down by high taxation and rising public debt. He cautioned that unless the government refocuses on alleviati...

  By Martin Masinde Kenyans have been urged to embrace the newly launched Wildlife Conservation and Management Regulations 2025, a bold framework that seeks to revise park fees while strengthening conservation efforts across the country. The regulations, unveiled at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) in Nairobi, mark a significant step towards improving access to national parks, curbing poaching, and safeguarding endangered species such as elephants, rhinos, and marine life along the Coast. Leading the launch, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General, Professor Erastus Kanga, underscored the regulations as a decisive turning point in shaping Kenya’s conservation legacy. He emphasized that Kenya’s position as a premier tourist destination depends heavily on its wildlife and ecosystems, which continue to generate billions in revenue and create thousands of jobs. Protecting this natural wealth requires both investment and innovation. The new framework introduces ...

 By East Africa Times Reporter  International and African diplomatic figures and Sudanese politicians agreed that the Sudanese army is working to obstruct peace opportunities and thwart opportunities for dialogue to end the war in Sudan. This is due to its boycott of a number of international negotiating platforms, starting with the Jeddah platform in May-June 2023, the Manama platform at the end of 2023, and the Geneva talks at the beginning of this year. International figures at a high-level symposium on Sudan held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, considered that the Sudanese army and the extremist Islamic groups fighting alongside it had abandoned all peaceful efforts and expressed hardline positions by pursuing a military solution. The Sudanese army had concluded arms deals with countries, most notably Iran and Turkey, and had recently concluded an arms deal with Pakistan. The high-level symposium on Sudan concluded on Thursday in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The symposium ...

By Cynthia Masibo  Kenyan property has emerged as one of the highest-yielding investments globally, according to a recent briefing held by HassConsult on September 9, 2025, where they unveiled their latest Hass Property Index report. The report highlights that Kenya’s property market delivered an impressive return on investment in the year to June 2025, outperforming major global real estate markets including the USA, UK, Singapore, and Australia. Kenya recorded a 7.8 percent rise in property prices in the year to June 2025, the highest annual increase among the countries analyzed in the report. This capital appreciation combined with rental yields of 5.5 percent brought the total property returns in Kenya to 13.28 percent, second only to South Africa in the comparative study. The study examined markets in Kenya, South Africa, the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Switzerland, Singapore, and Australia. A major driver behind Kenya’s outperforming property market is the strength of domest...

 By Our Reporter The debate over media independence and accountability in Kenya took center stage today as the Vibez Tribe movement issued a strongly-worded statement accusing Standard Group Media of bowing to shareholder influence, thereby undermining democracy and public trust. Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi, Vibez Tribe leaders warned that the manipulation of news content by powerful business and political interests was eroding public confidence in the country’s Fourth Estate, threatening the very foundation of democracy. “Our media, once hailed as the guardian of public interest, is now under serious scrutiny. When citizens are denied access to accurate and verifiable information, they are denied the power to make informed decisions about their country and their future. This is not just a media issue—it is a national crisis,” the group stated. The movement pointed directly at Standard Group Media, one of Kenya’s largest media houses, alleging that some shareholders...

East Africa Times Reporter  Mombasa, Kenya – The coastal city of Mombasa played host to a landmark conference where Dr. Argwals championed climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and sustainable trade as essential pillars for Africa’s economic growth and resilience. The high-level meeting brought together farmers, policymakers, trade experts, and environmental leaders to chart practical pathways toward a greener, more prosperous future. In his keynote address, Dr. Argwals, an authority on sustainable development and agricultural transformation, urged African nations to urgently adapt farming systems to the realities of climate change. “We are facing a dual crisis — climate change and food insecurity,” he said. “But within this challenge lies opportunity. Climate-smart agriculture can raise productivity, protect the environment, and unlock new trade opportunities for African farmers.” The forum showcased success stories from across East Africa, where regenerative soil practices, clim...

Reporting by James Mutua  A section of Nairobi lawmakers has appealed to Governor Johnson Sakaja and Members of the Nairobi County Assembly (MCAs) to resolve their differences through dialogue instead of dragging the capital into another impeachment standoff. Addressing journalists at a Nairobi hotel on Thursday, September 4, MPs Maureen Tabitha Mutinda, Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West), Antony Oluoch (Mathare), and nominated Senator Karen Nyamu welcomed President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s intervention, which saw MCAs withdraw the impeachment motion. Senator Mutinda urged Sakaja to seize the 60-day grace period to address grievances raised by ward representatives. “We call upon the governor and the MCAs to dedicate the next 60 days to dialogue, tackling the issues raised, and serving Nairobi residents. Governor, make it work,” she said. The leaders cautioned against a repeat of the political turmoil that followed the ouster of former governor Mike Sonko, which left Nair...

By East Africa Times Reporter  In the midst of a grinding civil war, concerned citizens have alleged that Sudan’s military rulers have signed a $1.5 billion weapons deal with Pakistan, with Saudi Arabia quietly getting involved. The pact promises new firepower for Sudan’s army, but risks dragging the country even deeper into a conflict that has already devastated millions and destabilized the region-the modern arsenal for an endless war. The agreement, concluded in early August, includes ten K-8 Karakorum aircraft-trainers that can be converted into light attack planes-more than 200 armed and surveillance drones, as well as Chinese-made air defense systems modeled on Russia’s S-300. They also included spare engines for aging MiG-21s, armored vehicles, and precision munitions to round out the package. They said for Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who heads Sudan’s armed forces, the influx of weapons offers a chance to break months of stalemate against the paramilitary Rapid Support For...