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Gitaru interchange set to reshape travel and commerce in Kikuyu

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As Nairobi’s traffic pressure continues to mount, the Gitaru Interchange is set to transform travel and commerce across the Kikuyu corridor.

Featuring four sweeping cloverleaf loops, construction on the interchange is now nearing completion, with works progressing steadily on one of the country’s busiest transport junctions.

Once operational, the interchange will connect the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway with both the Southern and Western Bypasses, a link expected to significantly ease traffic flow across the capital, Nairobi.

According to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the project is now approaching its final stages.

“The project is currently about 85 per cent complete, with completion targeted for December 31, 2026. Beyond infrastructure, the construction has also created employment opportunities for more than 1,100 people involved in various stages of the works,” notes KeNHA Director General Eng. Luka Kimeli. The design, he explains, allows traffic to flow continuously between highways without interruptions, reducing congestion while cutting travel time for motorists.

The transformation is already being felt by Gitaru residents like George Larama, a business owner and longtime resident of the area, who says the road project is beginning to ease movement along the once-congested route.

“This road helps a lot in transportation; it is very long, and we are asking the government to fast-track the construction because it is going to bring development to Gitaru,” he said.

Before the interchange works began, navigating the area often meant long detours and heavy traffic. Larama recalls how motorists previously had to drive all the way to Zambezi to make a turn toward Nairobi.

“People used to go up to Zambezi, a local town centre along the route, just to make a turn to Nairobi. But now, if someone comes from Kikuyu, it becomes very simple,” he explained.

Better connectivity has also improved convenience and safety for early morning commuters heading to the capital.

“It’s easy now going to Nairobi, no matter what time you wake up. In the past, when there were no good roads, people used to think it was risky to wake up at 2:00 am or even 3:00 am, but now, even at nine, you just take the road and go to Nairobi,” Larama added.

Transport officials say the project had previously slowed due to financial constraints before a new funding model helped revive stalled works.

“The Gitaru Interchange had stalled due to funding constraints, but securitisation enabled us to resume this critical project,” explains Eng. Kimeli, adding that the government is prioritising completion of long-delayed infrastructure projects.

“In line with the President’s directive, the government is completing stalled road projects regardless of when they began or which administration started the road project because the government is perpetual, and leaving unfinished projects from previous administrations punishes Kenyans.”

The Gitaru Interchange forms part of the wider A104 highway rehabilitation programme, a key transport corridor linking Nairobi to Central Kenya and the Rift Valley.

Once complete, it is expected to reduce travel times, cut fuel costs and improve logistics for regional trade.

Long-distance freight operators are likely to benefit from more reliable transport routes, while daily commuters could enjoy shorter and more predictable journeys.

The project is fully funded by the Government of Kenya and supported through innovative financing measures.

When President William Ruto’s administration took office, it inherited Ksh1 75 billion in pending bills owed to 580 contractors, some dating back nearly nine years.

In April 2025, the Cabinet approved securitisation, a debt-free financing model allowing the Kenya Roads Board to raise funds by leveraging future revenues from the Road Maintenance Levy Fund.

The move unlocked financing for several stalled projects, including the Gitaru Interchange.

As construction advances toward completion, residents and traders along the corridor say the changes are already visible, with improved mobility and new economic opportunities gradually taking shape across the Kikuyu corridor-KCB.

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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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