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Budget 2026: Teachers, village elders, police win big as Mbadi reads allocations

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Thousands of teachers, police recruits and village elders are set to benefit from the government’s 2026/27 budget after Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi unveiled major allocations targeting employment and public service delivery.

The Ksh4.8 trillion spending plan places significant emphasis on job creation and strengthening essential services, with education, security and grassroots administration emerging among the biggest winners.

The move is expected to ease uncertainty for many Junior Secondary School teachers who have been serving on temporary contracts.

Lawmakers said the funding is intended to improve staffing levels in schools while enhancing job security for teachers across the country.

The security sector is another key beneficiary after Parliament approved additional funding to support the recruitment of 10,000 police officers. The planned hiring is expected to strengthen security operations and address personnel shortages within the National Police Service.

Village elders, who have for years pushed for formal government recognition, also secured a significant victory. Under the new budget, they will begin receiving monthly stipends of Ksh3,000.

MPs backing the allocation argued that village elders play a crucial role in community administration and conflict resolution and deserve government support for their services.

Beyond the three groups, the budget contains several measures aimed at boosting employment opportunities and supporting vulnerable households.

Young people seeking jobs abroad are expected to benefit from a newly established Labour Migration and Export Programme. The initiative has been allocated about Ksh68.9 million to facilitate labour mobility, negotiate employment agreements with foreign countries and safeguard the welfare of Kenyan workers overseas, including seafarers.

The government also retained funding for the NYOTA programme, allocating Ksh4.7 billion to support youth employment and economic empowerment initiatives. However, stakeholders who appeared before Parliament noted that many young people, especially in rural areas, still face challenges accessing the programme.

Farmers were not left behind. The allocation for fertiliser subsidies was increased to Ksh18 billion in a move aimed at reducing production costs and boosting food production. Additional funding includes Ksh2.4 billion for reforms in the sugar sector and Ksh2 billion for seed subsidies.

Education emerged as the highest-funded sector overall after receiving Ksh781.4 billion, underscoring the government’s focus on learning institutions and teacher welfare.

Social protection programmes also received substantial allocations. Elderly citizens will benefit from Ksh25 billion, while Ksh9 billion has been earmarked for orphans and Ksh1.5 billion for persons living with severe disabilities.

The budget further sets aside resources to support preparations for the 2027 General Election. Increased funding will go towards voter registration, technology upgrades and election management activities.

Despite the spending commitments, concerns remain over the country’s debt levels. The Treasury estimates a fiscal deficit of Ksh1.1 trillion, which will largely be financed through domestic borrowing.

During recent parliamentary debates, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro cautioned that the country’s debt burden continued to grow, raising questions about the sustainability of public finances.

Even so, the Treasury maintains that fiscal reforms are beginning to bear fruit, projecting a primary budget surplus equivalent to 0.7 per cent of GDP as it seeks to keep the country’s finances on a stable path-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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