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Ruto signs laws reforming CBK operations, parliamentary pensions

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President William Ruto has signed into law the Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing comprehensive reforms designed to strengthen Kenya’s financial system, enhance banking oversight, and improve the country’s capacity to respond to financial crises.

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The new legislation establishes a clear legal distinction between the Central Bank of Kenya’s routine monetary policy operations and Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA). This provides a dedicated framework for addressing periods of financial distress while protecting public resources.

According to President Ruto, the reforms are intended to enhance Kenya’s preparedness for financial shocks by ensuring emergency support is only provided under clearly defined circumstances.

“The new law introduces a distinct legal framework separating the Central Bank’s routine monetary policy operations from Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA). The move will improve Kenya’s preparedness to respond to financial crises while protecting taxpayers and the banking sector.” he said after signing the bill into law

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Under the amendments, emergency liquidity will only be accessible to financial institutions that meet strict requirements regarding solvency, long-term viability, and systemic importance.

“Under the amendment, ELA can only be extended to banks that meet strict conditions on solvency, viability, and systemic risk. The provision aims to separate ordinary liquidity management from extraordinary interventions during periods of financial distress.” he said

The law further grants statutory recognition to the Central Bank of Kenya Institute of Monetary Studies, providing a legal basis for the institution’s training role and facilitating collaboration with regional and international partners to strengthen research, professional development, and knowledge exchange.

Another amendment aligns the Central Bank Act with Kenya’s current financial architecture by replacing references to the former Deposit Protection Fund Board with the Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Additionally, the legislation clarifies the Central Bank’s authority to hold and trade in gold and other precious metals as part of reserve management.

“It also expands legal clarity on CBK’s authority to deal in gold and other precious metals as part of reserve management. This will support the growth of Kenya’s mining sector and aligns Kenya with practices in Tanzania, Ghana, and South Africa.”

At the same time, President Ruto also assented to the Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which updates Kenya’s parliamentary pension framework to reflect the country’s bicameral Parliament established under the 2010 Constitution. The new law formally extends pension benefits to members of both the National Assembly and the Senate, ensuring senators are covered under the same legal framework as Members of Parliament.

Key reforms include raising the legal definition of a child eligible for benefits from 16 to 18 years, in line with the Constitution, and reconstituting both the Parliamentary Pensions Management Committee and the Appeals Committee to include representation from both Houses of Parliament.

The law also preserves the existing public service pension policy by retaining gratuity payments only for legislators who serve less than five years.

The Head of State that the legislative changes are intended to strengthen financial governance, modernise Kenya’s monetary policy framework, and align public institutions with constitutional and international best practices-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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