People caught walking on grassy areas near Kampala roads face legal trouble. Court officials sentenced three men - Jonathan Amanya, Maurice Fred, and Denis Kato - for trampling green belts without permission from city authorities. Each must pay fines of Shs 150,000 or spend two weeks in Luzira prison. Senior magistrate Edgar Karakire gave lighter sentences because they admitted guilt right away.
Prosecutor Charles Kutosi told the court these violations happen often across the city, destroying green spaces. He asked for strong punishments to discourage others from similar actions. The charges came from unauthorized entry onto city-maintained grass areas on Yusuf Lule Road and Bukoto during recent enforcement efforts. Officials have...
Activists placed mannequins around Kampala on Wednesday to demand freedom for Dr. Kizza Besigye and other jailed political figures. The life-sized figures appeared along Buganda Road and near the Supreme Court, holding signs with protest messages as recorded voices played from attached speakers. Police later removed the displays but made no arrests during the demonstration.
Protest leader Aloikin Praise Opoloje said they want to highlight how authorities keep detaining opposition members despite court rulings against such practices. She mentioned that numerous colleagues, including social media personalities, face persecution for their views. Her group previously faced arrest during earlier demonstrations, including the Gen Z protests...
Uganda extended its Transfer of Convicted Offenders Act to the United Kingdom, creating a way for convicted judge Lydia Mugambe to return home. The government published this change on April 14 through an official document signed by Justice Minister Norbert Mao. Legal experts see this as a fast move to help Mugambe serve her sentence in Uganda rather than Britain. The Oxford Crown Court found her guilty on March 13 of human trafficking, forced labor, immigration crimes, and witness intimidation. She awaits sentencing on May 2.
Many lawyers believe officials rushed this law specifically for Mugambe. Some claim her maid blackmailed her, but others say the government created this legal tool just for her benefit. The law allows prisoners to...
IGAD finished the second phase of its Lokiriama Land Use Plan in Turkana County, aimed at reducing fights over resources. State Department Physical Planning Deputy Director John Sut Ntabo led officials from the national government, IGAD, Turkana County, and the National Land Commission to meet with local leaders.
Ntabo briefed Governor Jeremiah Lomorukuai about spatial planning work along the Kenya-Uganda border. He said they created a preliminary map covering 4,600 square kilometers after visiting the area and talking with locals in Lokiriama Sub-County. The team works closely with county departments to match government priorities. Data collection comes next as Uganda conducts similar work with IGAD support.
Governor Lomorukai called...
Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi announced the government has secured Sh5 billion to expand the Gogo hydro plant. The upgrade will increase power generation from two to 8.6 megawatts. The project aims to reduce power outages in the region and create jobs. Migori County has already received Sh6 billion through various electrification programs. About Sh800 million went to rural electrification efforts.
Wandayi promised more funding for counties to improve electricity connectivity nationwide. He said his ministry planted eleven million trees as of March, helping meet the national goal of 30 percent forest cover by 2030. He stressed people must nurture trees to maturity rather than just plant them. The ministry distributed 100,000 seedlings...
Criminal gangs continue spreading across Kenya despite government efforts to stop them, a new survey shows. These groups adapt quickly, avoid police, and keep growing their reach. The National Crime Research Center found 309 gangs operate in 11 counties, with Mombasa having 73 groups, Nairobi 56, and Kilifi 47. Their activities include robbery, assault, drug dealing, and murder.
Most gang members are young men with little education who abuse drugs. They join because of peer pressure, unemployment, and poor family support. The gangs stay active partly because communities protect them by not reporting crimes. Law officers sometimes take bribes, which makes the problem worse.
Current prevention methods include police patrols...
Officials formed a security team to protect tourists during the Easter holidays along the Kenyan coast. Coast Police Commander Ali Nuno encouraged visitors to enjoy the beautiful beaches, saying officers will guard the entire region against criminals. Police blame most local accidents on drunk driving, fatigue, or driver carelessness. The commander warned parents that they face charges if their children carry weapons like machetes or clubs. He urged beachgoers to leave the shores before 6 p.m.
Mombasa County Commissioner Mohammed Noor said the security force includes police, government officers, and transport safety officials. NTSA Chairman Khatib Mwashetani announced they will monitor main roads from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kilifi, Lamu...
Kenya's government fully owns the e-Citizen platform but works with Webmaster to manage it, according to Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura. The system has been running as a ten-year pilot while officials build capacity.
Mwaura explained that the government buys various ICT services, including Oracle Corporation for their financial management system, IFMIS. Microsoft provides additional digital infrastructure support. He mentioned Kenya has established an Innovation and AI Hub at the Kenya School of Government, along with development centers at Konza Technopolis.
The government continues developing local technologies despite concerns from Auditor General Nancy Gathungu. Officials signed a three-year contract in May 2023 with three...
The WTO expects global merchandise trade to shrink by 0.2% in 2025, a sharp reversal from the 2.9% growth seen in 2024. Recent tariff hikes since January forced the organization to downgrade what had been a positive forecast at the start of the year.
WTO head Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned that trade policy uncertainty threatens global growth, with vulnerable economies facing the worst impacts. She urged countries to exempt least developed nations from new tariffs during a press conference about the report. Services trade will also suffer despite not being directly subject to tariffs, with growth projected at 4% for 2025, about 1% less than previously expected.
Europe leads services trade growth with a forecast 5% increase, compared to...
