Displaying items by tag: Kenya

Fifty elephants have been relocated from the overcrowded Mwea National Reserve to a larger national park, 75 miles away, to reduce environmental strain and human-wildlife conflict. The reserve, which ideally could support 47 elephants, had a population of 156. The tourism minister, Rebecca Maino, noted that the rising elephant population is a sign that poaching is under control, but the overcrowding had resulted in elephants straying into nearby farms in search of food. Local residents expressed relief that the animals had been moved, as their presence had become a growing problem. The elephants arrived safely in their new home, and the $93,000 project is set to enter a second phase, with plans to relocate another fifty elephants soon.

Kenya has officially requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to conduct a comprehensive review of its corruption and governance challenges. Cabinet secretary Musalia Mudavadi said that this will help the government address corruption, a persistent issue negatively impacting the economy and the livelihoods of Kenyans. President William Ruto, who has been facing pressure from widespread protests over high living costs, pledged in July to amend laws aimed at closing loopholes which enable corruption. He wants to focus on holding corrupt officials accountable, reducing government wastage, and curbing opulence among leaders. The IMF's review, which will encompass all government ministries and institutions, aligns with its previous calls for Kenya to address these challenges. Kenya hopes this effort will also secure delayed financial assistance from the IMF, crucial for its 2024/2025 budget.

Collins Jumaisi Khalusha has appeared in court after being charged with multiple murders following the discovery of nine dismembered bodies in a Nairobi quarry. Khalusha has supposedly confessed to killing 42 women: his lawyer has claimed he was tortured into confessing, which prosecutors deny. The case has intensified scrutiny on Kenya's police, already under pressure from anti-government protests and accusations of human rights abuses. The bodies, found in sacks, were mostly women aged 18-30. Police say they have found evidence linking Khalusha to the murders, including mobile phones and female clothing at his home. The case has sparked public outrage and renewed focus on femicide in the country: some 500 Kenyan women were murdered between 2017 and January 2024. An independent police authority is investigating potential police involvement. Protests demanding president William Ruto's resignation continue amid the scandal: police chief Japhet Koome has resigned, after pressure to provide answers about the police’s conduct during the protests.

Following violent protests in which 22 people were killed, president William Ruto has announced he will not sign a finance bill proposing new taxes. The bill, which aimed to raise funds to pay off debt, has faced widespread opposition from Kenyans struggling economically. On 25 June thousands of protesters stormed parliament, an action which Ruto called ‘treasonous’. In the chaos which ensued, the police and military were accused of brutality, with human rights groups reporting abductions and hundreds of injuries. Acknowledging the ‘widespread dissatisfaction’, Ruto admitted the need for a national conversation on managing the country's affairs together. The high court has suspended the military deployment and ordered the release of all protestors. Many young voters who supported Ruto in 2022 now oppose his reforms, feeling betrayed by the economic hardships. He has been criticised for not adopting a more conciliatory approach, and widespread protests continue: see

Heavy flooding in Kenya, after weeks of intense rain and flash floods, has left at least 103 people missing, with 71 confirmed dead. Most of the missing are from Mai Mahiu, near Nairobi, where on 29 April flooding near a railway bridge, caused by a clogged tunnel, caused at least 45 deaths. The country’s president William Ruto has ordered the military to help search and rescue efforts. Nearly 191,000 Kenyans have been displaced by the floods, which are said to have been exacerbated by the effects of El Niño. The government has established 52 displacement camps to provide temporary shelter, but with more rain forecast the situation may worsen. The floods have affected other countries: a week ago, Tanzania’s president said that 155 people had been killed and 200,000 displaced. See

Haiti faces uncertainty after prime minister Ariel Henry's resignation, welcomed by Haitians amid escalating gang violence. Henry, stranded in Puerto Rico, pledged to resign once a transition council and temporary leader were chosen. US officials, after talks in Jamaica, expect the council to be appointed soon. Acting prime minister Michel Boisvert has signalled his willingness to facilitate an orderly transition. Port-au-Prince shows signs of improved security; the streets are quiet and the main cargo port has been reopened, though the airport remains closed. One of Haiti’s largest TV stations has left its headquarters, citing the insecurity. In another potential setback, the plans to deploy Kenyan police officers for a UN-backed security mission are on hold pending a new interim government. Haitians hope for stability as they await a new leadership amidst ongoing challenges.

On 13 November a government-led initiative saw citizens planting seedlings in Nairobi, even under heavy rain, following the declaration of a public holiday dedicated to tree planting. This effort, part of president William Ruto's pledge to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, aims to increase forest cover and combat the effects of a severe drought in the Horn of Africa. The tree planting day was intended as a patriotic contribution to national climate change efforts. However, Ruto's environmental commitment is under scrutiny due to his controversial decision to end a nearly six-year moratorium on logging. This move, which he argues is necessary for job creation and practical use of mature trees, has met criticism from environmentalists. Despite the environmental impact, the forestry and logging sector is significant for Kenya's economy, employing many people directly and indirectly. The decision to lift the ban reflects the government's struggle to balance environmental conservation with economic and employment challenges amidst high inflation and unemployment.

During a visit to southern Tanzania, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier apologised and asked for forgiveness for colonial-era killings during Germany’s rule. He vowed to raise awareness of the atrocities in his country, in a step towards ‘communal healing’ of the bloody past. Tanzania suffered under German colonial rule for decades, and saw one of the region’s deadliest uprisings from 1905 to 1907. During the revolt, known as the Maji Maji Rebellion, between 200,000 and 300,000 Indigenous people were murdered by German troops. Steinmeier said Germany was ready to begin a ‘communal processing’ of the past, as he met with descendants of an executed leader of the revolt. In contrast, on a state visit to Kenya, King Charles III expressed ‘deep regret’ for the ‘abhorrent and unjustifiable’ acts of violence committed during the 1952-1960 Mau Mau revolt, in which 90,000 Kenyans died, but stopped short of apologising or proposing reparations. See

A climate summit in Nairobi has seen dozens of world leaders discuss climate solutions for Africa’s 1.3 billion people affected by climate change. Africa is the fastest-growing continent, and the most vulnerable to climate change. 85% of the worst-hit countries in the climate crisis are African. The Daily Nation newspaper proclaimed this gathering ‘Africa's moment.’ Kenya’s president Ruto came to power with climate change relief and accountability cornerstones of his foreign policy. Addressing the conference, he claimed, ‘Climate change is crimping Africa’s economic growth annually by 5 to 15%, despite Africa accounting for less than 4% of global emissions.’ The intention was for delegates to come to see resource-rich African states as crucial stakeholders in the green economy. Africa’s abundance of natural resources only receives 3% of global energy investments. The summit’s outcome sees nations promising financial solutions to climate-induced food insecurity, finding technical resolutions to food scarcity and storage, and making African markets attractive to investors.

Children were the first to be starved to death in the final days of a Christian doomsday cult in the vast Shakahola farm, near Malindi. Police investigating mass suicide have exhumed 201 bodies so far. A former deputy preacher of the cult, Titus Katana, said children were killed first, ‘ordered to fast in the sun so they would die faster.’ Women and men were next in the suicide plan. Katana, who is helping police with the investigation, described the brutal treatment of children who were shut in huts for five days without food or water: ‘Then they wrapped them in blankets and buried them, even the ones still breathing.’ Cult followers were told they would reach heaven faster if they starved to death. Official autopsies found signs of starvation, suffocation and beatings. Over 600 members of the cult are still missing.