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Kenya pushes circular economy agenda as government, private sector advance new national strategy

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Kenya has intensified efforts to transition towards a circular economy following high level talks between the Ministry of Environment and the private sector aimed at shaping a new national framework for sustainable production and waste management.

The meeting with the delegation led by KEPSA Head of KEPSA Consult, Circular Economy & Climate Change Dr. Kinyanjui Koimbori, focused on advancing Kenya’s transition to a circular economy.

Speaking Monday when he hosted a delegation from the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Environment Principal Secretary Eng. Festus Ngeno welcomed the collaboration, noting that circular economy principles are a key pillar under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Ministry’s Strategic Plan 2023–2027.

The discussions centered on the development of the Circular Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (CESIP), a national framework aimed at shifting Kenya from the traditional linear “take-make-dispose” model to a more sustainable system that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes waste.

Dr. Ng’eno emphasised that adopting circular approaches will not only address environmental challenges such as pollution and waste management but also unlock economic opportunities, including job creation and green investment.

The KEPSA team briefed the Principal Secretary on the CESIP development process, which will be implemented over a seven-month period from April to November 2026.

The initiative is being supported technically by the Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) through the European Circular Economy Resource Centre, with KEPSA working in consortium with Intellecap Advisory Services.

According to Dr. Koimbori, the strategy will provide a coordinated national roadmap consolidating existing policies and aligning efforts across sectors such as plastics, agriculture, textiles, electronics, and construction areas identified for their high resource intensity and potential for circular innovation.

During the discussions, Dr. Eng. Festus Ng’eno called for a more inclusive and expedited approach to stakeholder engagement.

He urged the team to leverage the Council of Governors (CoG) to gather views from county governments and ensure timely input from devolved units.

Further, he encouraged the use of additional engagement platforms, including virtual platforms, to broaden participation and accelerate the process.

The Principal Secretary also directed that the Ministry’s Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) team be actively involved in the process, particularly those who participated in negotiations on the global plastics treaty and the science-policy panel on chemicals and waste, to enrich the strategy with international best practices and insights.

Dr. Ng’eno underscored the critical role of Kenya’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, noting that effective implementation will not only improve waste management but also stimulate local manufacturing by promoting recycling, value addition, and sustainable production systems.

The CESIP will be developed through four key phases: inception, situational analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategy formulation, with participation expected from over 110 stakeholders across government, private sector, academia, and civil society.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deliver a practical, action-oriented strategy that will accelerate Kenya’s transition to a circular economy while supporting climate action, sustainable production, and long-term economic resilience.

The meeting was attended by Molu Wato, Director, Waste Management and Pollution Control in Environment and Climate Change, Karnika Yadav, Director at Intellecap Advisory Services among others-KBC.

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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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