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Wetang’ula missed LSK vote due to practising certificate status, not State Office: Omari

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Lawyer Danstan Omari has dismissed claims that National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula was barred from voting in the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) presidential elections because he is a State officer.

Omari explained on Friday that the exclusion was solely due to Wetang’ula not holding a valid practising certificate for the required period.

 

Wetang’ula, a Senior Counsel and advocate of the High Court, was turned away during Thursday’s LSK elections that saw Charles Kanjama elected President in an incident that sparked debate with some commentators questioning why other State officers were allowed to vote.

Omari said the decision was purely based on eligibility rules tied to the LSK voter register and practising certificate requirements, not Wetang’ula’s political office.

“The voter register that is used is the register that closed on December 31 last year. If you are not active and you have not renewed your practising certificate, you cannot vote,” Omari said.

He explained that Wetang’ula had not renewed his practising certificate for 2025, meaning his name was not included in the official voter register used for the election.

“Senior Counsel Wetang’ula had not renewed the practising certificate for 2025. Therefore, his name could not be in the voter register,” he said.

Under the Law Society of Kenya Act, only advocates with valid practising certificates for the relevant year and whose names appear in the certified voter register are eligible to participate in LSK elections.

Uniform application

Omari clarified that the restriction applies uniformly across the legal profession, including judicial officers, government lawyers, and private practitioners.

“Any advocate, whether in private practice, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, or the Office of the Attorney General, must have a valid practising certificate to vote,” he said.

The explanation addresses concerns raised after several State officers—including Siaya Governor James Orengo, Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna—were allowed to vote.

Omari said the difference was that those leaders held valid practising certificates and were therefore included in the voter register.

“Kalonzo Musyoka was allowed to vote because he had a valid practising certificate. There was no malice in denying the Speaker the opportunity to vote,” he said.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which oversaw the election process, relied on the official register provided by the Law Society of Kenya to determine voter eligibility.

The LSK conducts elections every two years, and voter eligibility is determined based on membership status and practising certificate validity as of the register’s cut-off date.

Omari said the incident should serve as a reminder to advocates to maintain active professional status if they wish to participate in the society’s governance.

“It was not about his position as Speaker. It was about compliance with the Law Society requirements. Only those with valid practising certificates and whose names appear in the register can vote,” he said-CapitalNews.

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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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