Connect with us

News

Little hiccups as Mbeere, Isiolo and Kakamega hold by-elections

Published

on

Voting is proceeding smoothly across four electoral areas where by-elections are being held this Thursday.

Voters braved the morning cold in Isiolo, Mbeere North and Kakamega county to elect new parliamentary and ward representatives.

In Isiolo county, voters are electing a new Member of Parliament for Isiolo South constituency.

In Kakamega county, voters are choosing a new ward representative for West Kabras.

In Embu county’s Mbeere North constituency, voters are electing ward representatives for Muminji and Evurore wards.

The by-elections have pitted the Kenya Kwanza government against the United Opposition, with the contests serving as a litmus test ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The elections are the second political acid test for President William Ruto, following the November 27 by-elections which he and his broad-based allies easily beat the united opposition.

The Muminji Ward by-election was called following the vacancy of the MCA seat after Newton Karish resigned to contest the Mbeere North parliamentary seat.

Seven candidates are contesting the Muminji Ward seat: Boniface Kariuki (Devolution Empowerment Party), John Nyaga (United Progressive Alliance), Cosmas Njeru (National Economic Development Party), Joseph Ngari (Umoja na Maendeleo Party), Peterson Njeru (United Democratic Alliance), Charles Kiura (The We Alliance Party) and Zachary Mbogo (Kenya Moja Movement Party).

There were reports of youths blocking vehicles from entering Kanyuambora Low Cost Primary School in Evurore.

The IEBC said authorised persons at the polling station include voters, polling clerks, presiding officers, security personnel, accredited observers, accredited media, political party or independent candidate agents and IEBC staff only.

The commission said each participating political party or candidate is entitled to one agent per polling station, and only one chief agent per candidate is allowed at a tallying centre.

“There is no provision in law for ”super agents’ or any unauthorised persons to operate within polling or tallying centres,” it said.

The Evurore Ward seat fell vacant after Duncan Mbui resigned to contest the Mbeere North parliamentary seat, and has attracted 10 aspirants.

They are Kabuthi Catherine Mururi (United Progressive Alliance), Albert Muchira (Democratic Party), Johnson Mukui (Independent), Martin Mukundi (National Economic Development Party), Joseph Nyaga (People’s Liberation Party), Kennedy Nthiga (United Green Movement), Eston Fundi (Umoja na Maendeleo Party), Virginia Thaara (Kenya Moja Movement Party), Duncan Muratia (United Democratic Alliance) and Nyaga Kenneth Njeru (Chama Cha Kazi).

In Kakamega, voters braved chilly weather and turned out in large numbers, with long queues forming at many polling stations, including Mutsuma Primary School and Imboakalo Comprehensive School in West Kabras.

The West Kabras seat fell vacant after former occupant David Ndakwa resigned to run for the Malava parliamentary seat, which had fallen vacant following the death of Malulu Injendi.

Six candidates were cleared to run in the election, where 11,699 registered voters are expected to participate.

They are Elphas Shalakha (UDA), Edward Indimuli (ODM), Nivah Khisa (DAP-K), George Michiana (Economic Development Party), Shivoko Masini (Democratic National Alliance Party) and Bramwel Wasike (Democracy for the Citizens Party).

In Isiolo, 22,216 registered voters are expected to take part in the by-election to elect a new MP after the seat fell vacant following the death of Mohamed Tupi Bidu on November 12, 2025, while receiving treatment at The Nairobi Hospital.

The position attracted three candidates: Isack Abduba (National Economic Development Party), Tubi Mohamed (United Democratic Alliance) and Tupi Bina Mohamed (Jubilee Party).

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said voting opened at 6 am and will close at 5 pm.

The poll agency urged voters to turn out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right to elect their preferred representatives.

“Any lost time at opening will be recovered at closing, and voters in the queue by 5 pm will be allowed to vote,” the commission said.

In Embu, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi voted at Kanyuambora Low Cost Boarding Primary School in Evurore Ward.

The former Public Service Cabinet Secretary dismissed claims that the United Opposition is plotting to attack Embu County Assembly Speaker Josiah Thiriku during the Evurore by-election.

The IEBC said all eligible voters in the respective by-election areas will be identified using the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits.

The certified register of voters has been displayed at each polling station for public verification.

However, some elderly voters participating in the West Kabras by-election at Mutsuma Primary polling station could not be identified electronically after the kits failed to detect their fingerprints-STAR.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

News

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

News

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Trending