Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has expressed confidence that the Linda Mwananchi Movement will defeat President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election without having to challenge the presidential results in court.
Natembeya, who is leading the movement's presidential campaign, made the remarks during a political rally in Kwale County on Saturday, October 31, where he accompanied Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other proposed party officials on a grassroots mobilisation tour.
Addressing supporters, the governor declared that the movement would secure victory at the ballot and would not need the Supreme Court to determine the outcome of the presidential election.
Kenyan newspapers review: Rigathi Gachagua reveals when opposition will name presidential flagbearer
He claimed that the team would independently tally the votes before heading to State House in Nairobi, where they would wait for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to officially announce the winner.
Natembeya suggested that the movement had left the option of challenging presidential election results at the Supreme Court to the late ODM leader Raila Odinga.
He further declared that the days when presidential election victories were allegedly taken away through electoral malpractice were over, warning those planning to manipulate the 2027 results against attempting to do so.
During the engagement in Kinango area, Natembeya accused local political leaders of prioritising their personal interests while neglecting the challenges facing ordinary residents.
Kenyan newspapers review: ODM split over whether to back Ruto with or without written deal
He questioned why some leaders were aligning themselves with Ruto's administration instead of addressing the difficulties experienced by the people they represent.
The governor urged residents to support the Linda Mwananchi Movement, arguing that the country needed leadership that prioritised ordinary citizens.
Natembeya's remarks came a day after the movement formally unveiled its headquarters and proposed national leadership in Lavington, Nairobi, on Friday, October 30.
Sifuna was proposed as the party leader, while Natembeya was named chairperson of its board of trustees and the presidential campaign.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia faces a growing risk of Rift Valley fever that could threaten livestock-dependent livelihoods, after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the regional bloc IGAD identified the country among six facing the highest assessed risk of the disease.The warning, issued on October 30, comes as El Niño-related rainfall creates favourable conditions for the spread of the mosquito-borne virus across Eastern Africa.
Saudi Arabia has suspended travel by its citizens to Kenya and halted the issuance of visas to people arriving from the country following an assessment of the Ebola situation.The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday, October 30, that the Kingdom had introduced additional precautionary measures to reduce the risk of the virus spreading into the country.
Nairobi-In an era of rapid urbanization, shifting climates, and interconnected global travel, health is no longer confined to hospital wards and laboratories. When a pathogen leaps from wildlife or livestock to humans, the ripples shatter economies, destabilize food security, and claim millions of lives.
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Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga served up one of the more memorable moments of the week when video footage captured her dancing on top of a moving vehicle as her convoy made its way through city streets.
The clip, posted on TikTok on October 31, 2026, shows Wanga perched atop the vehicle, laughing, waving and throwing some enthusiastic moves as crowds of onlookers lined the route near roadside storefronts.
The energy in the footage was unmistakably electric, with the procession taking on the feel of a victory lap rather than a simple commute.
Ida Odinga takes over event with sleek moves as she steps out in stunning fashion
The occasion was the Orange Democratic Movement's meeting at Jacaranda Grounds in Nairobi, which drew party supporters and officials from across the country.
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Wanga, one of the party's most prominent figures, arrived in style, riding the wave of excitement that had clearly gripped the convoy long before it reached the venue.
Adding a layer of symbolism to the moment, the governor wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the image of the late Raila Odinga, who served as ODM party leader until his passing.
Following Raila's death, leadership of the party passed to his elder brother, Oburu Oginga, who has since taken up the mantle.
The outdoor footage, filmed along what appears to be a busy urban street, captures the celebratory atmosphere of the political rally procession in full swing.
Wanga's willingness to abandon formality and simply revel in the moment resonated widely, with the clip spreading rapidly across social media platforms after it was posted.
George Ruto sparks worry after being spotted in arm sling
The governor's spirited display is a reminder that Kenyan politics, particularly within ODM circles, rarely lacks for colour and personality.
Watch Wanga's viral dance atop the moving vehicle here:
The High Court has struck out a Law Society of Kenya (LSK) petition challenging higher excise stamp fees that the taxman said were needed partly to cover a Sh4.5 billion debt owed to its stamp system contractor.Justice Roselyn Aburili ruled that LSK filed its case before Parliament completed its scrutiny of the 2023 regulations, meaning the court could not determine whether the taxman’s decision complied with constitutional requirements for public participation, regulatory impact assessment and parliamentary scrutiny.
Kenya’s supplementary budget for the 2026/27 financial year will have to accommodate new government spending commitments as revenue collections fall short of targets, putting additional pressure on the National Treasury’s efforts to manage the fiscal deficit and public debt.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi is expected to present the first supplementary estimates for the financial year in November, with the proposed adjustments set to factor in Cabinet-approved expenditure, including the settlement of pending bills worth Sh50 million and below and additional financing for national carrier Kenya Airways.
The supplementary budget comes as the government faces competing funding demands from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), even as tax collections struggle to match the targets set at the beginning of the financial year.
“We are hoping that in the supplementary budget coming in the next three weeks, we will be making submissions on how to clear most of the pending bills,” National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo told the National Assembly’s Finance and National Planning Committee on Tuesday.
Kiptoo said the Treasury was considering different financing arrangements for settling the arrears, including securitisation or payments through the national budget.
The proposed supplementary estimates come against a fiscal framework that already requires substantial government borrowing to finance expenditure.
Kenya’s 2026/27 budget projected expenditure of approximately Sh4.8 trillion against revenue and grants of about Sh3.64 trillion, with a deficit of approximately Sh1.15 trillion. The Treasury had also projected net domestic borrowing of Sh1.03 trillion to support the government’s financing requirements.
The current fiscal projections put total expenditure at Sh4.81 trillion against expected revenues of Sh3.63 trillion. The budget deficit is projected at 5.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to Sh1.14 trillion, for the financial year ending June 2027.
The government also projects the deficit to rise to 5.9 percent of GDP in FY2027/28, pointing to continued pressure on public finances beyond the current budget cycle.
The National Treasury has acknowledged that spending requests from government ministries and State departments are exceeding the resources available from revenue collection.
“The problem right now is that spending pressures are very high. I am getting requests every now and then from MDAs asking for more money, but we are unable to raise corresponding revenues,” Kiptoo said.
The pressure comes as Kenya’s public debt surpassed Sh13 trillion as of August 2026, adding to the government’s financing obligations as it prepares to revise spending allocations and revenue expectations.
The revenue challenge is evident in the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) first-quarter performance, with ordinary revenue collections falling Sh58.2 billion below the Treasury’s target for the period.
KRA collected Sh655.8 billion in ordinary revenue between July and September 2026, compared with Sh573.5 billion during the corresponding period in 2025. This represented year-on-year growth of 14.4 percent, although the increase was insufficient to meet the government’s collection target.
The National Treasury attributed the overall revenue shortfall to weaker-than-targeted ordinary revenue collections, partly offset by stronger ministerial appropriations in aid (A-i-A).
“By the end of September 2026, revenue collection was below target by Sh40.4 billion mainly on account of shortfalls in ordinary revenues of Sh58.2 billion while ministerial appropriations in aid (A-i-A) surpassed the target by Sh17.8 billion,” the Treasury said in an earlier presentation.
Ordinary revenue comprises tax and non-tax receipts collected by the government, primarily through KRA. The A-i-A category covers revenues collected by ministries and government departments from their respective services and activities.
The Treasury expects total revenue to reach Sh3.63 trillion by June 2027, comprising Sh2.985 trillion in ordinary revenue and Sh644.8 billion in ministerial A-i-A.
The latest collection figures come as KRA pursues digital compliance measures to improve tax administration and broaden visibility into business transactions.
TechTrendsKE reported on October 29 that KRA was discussing an arrangement with Safaricom to facilitate electronic tax invoicing for merchants using M-Pesa tills and paybills. The proposed arrangement would also use transaction information associated with merchant tills and Pochi la Biashara accounts to improve visibility into business income.
The initiative forms part of the authority’s efforts to strengthen electronic invoicing and tax compliance, particularly among businesses operating through mobile money payment channels.
The settlement of pending bills is among the major expenditure items expected to feature in the November supplementary budget after the Cabinet approved payments for outstanding government obligations valued at Sh50 million and below.
The initiative is intended to prioritise micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which often depend on timely payments from government contracts to maintain working capital, pay employees and meet their own supplier obligations.
For businesses that have completed government contracts but are awaiting payment, clearing these arrears could release funds that have remained tied up in outstanding invoices.
The Treasury has already used securitisation to settle pending bills in the roads sector, clearing approximately Sh80 billion through an arrangement backed by the Road Maintenance Levy Fund.
The fund receives revenue through a Sh25 charge on every litre of petrol and diesel sold at the pump, providing a financing stream that the government has used to address outstanding obligations in the sector.
Kiptoo indicated that the Treasury was considering whether to extend securitisation to the wider pending-bill settlement programme or allocate funds directly through the budget.
The issue also has implications for commercial banks, which finance businesses supplying goods and services to government entities.
In October, TechTrendsKE reported on Moody’s assessment of Kenyan banks’ exposure to government securities, noting that their holdings of sovereign debt stood at 1.7 times their equity at the end of December 2025. The report also linked declining government pending bills to improved loan repayment among contractors, contributing to better asset quality in the banking sector.
Settling outstanding invoices can help contractors repay loans and restore their capacity to finance business operations, making the government’s pending-bill programme relevant to both enterprise liquidity and the banking sector.
The supplementary budget is also expected to accommodate additional financial commitments to Kenya Airways after the Cabinet approved Sh45.5 billion ($350 million) in shareholder financing for the national carrier.
The funding is intended to help the airline meet urgent financial obligations, including aircraft maintenance and returning grounded planes to service.
The Cabinet also proposed converting Sh122 billion in existing government loans to Kenya Airways into equity, a measure intended to strengthen the airline’s balance sheet and support future capital raising.
The two measures form part of a wider government effort to address the airline’s financial position and support its recovery.
As TechTrendsKE reported in October, the shareholder financing and proposed debt restructuring are linked to Kenya Airways’ efforts to restore its operational capacity and pursue longer-term capital support, including the search for a strategic investor.
The Sh45.5 billion shareholder financing represents an additional funding commitment, while the proposed Sh122 billion conversion concerns existing government loans. The restructuring would change the composition of the government’s financial claims against the airline while supporting its capital position.
The Kenya Airways commitments add to the expenditure decisions the Treasury must accommodate as it prepares the supplementary estimates, alongside pending-bill settlements and funding requests from other government agencies.
The supplementary budget comes as the government continues to rely on domestic borrowing to finance a substantial portion of its expenditure requirements.
The original FY2026/27 budget projected net domestic borrowing of approximately Sh1.03 trillion, placing banks and other domestic investors at the centre of the government’s financing strategy.
TechTrendsKE’s reporting on Kenyan banks’ sovereign debt exposure highlighted the close relationship between government borrowing and the financial sector, with commercial banks holding substantial amounts of government securities.
The government’s financing requirements therefore have implications beyond the national budget, particularly for banks, businesses and contractors that depend on access to credit.
For the Treasury, the November supplementary estimates will provide an opportunity to adjust expenditure allocations and revenue expectations as it incorporates approved commitments into the current financial year’s budget.
The revised estimates will also shape how the government manages its financing requirements as it seeks to meet obligations to suppliers, support Kenya Airways and fund government programmes while working within a constrained revenue environment.
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Airtel Kenya has paid $65 million (approximately Sh8.4 billion) for 100 MHz of spectrum in the 3500 MHz band, securing rights to use the frequency for 25 years as it strengthens its position in Kenya’s mobile broadband market.
Airtel Africa said its Kenyan subsidiary acquired the spectrum following approval from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), subject to standard conditions. The allocation gives Airtel additional capacity to expand its fifth-generation (5G) network, which competes with Safaricom’s services in a market where demand for high-speed connectivity is growing.
The 3500 MHz frequency range, commonly known as the C-band, is one of the principal bands used for commercial 5G deployments globally. According to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), the band has become a major platform for launching 5G services because of its capacity to support high-speed mobile broadband.
The 25-year spectrum allocation gives Airtel a long-term foundation for expanding its mobile network and serving customers who require higher data speeds and greater network capacity. The company will be able to use the additional frequency resources to support data-intensive applications, mobile broadband and other services running on its 5G infrastructure.
Spectrum is a critical resource for telecommunications operators because it determines the radio-frequency capacity available to transmit data between network infrastructure and connected devices. The 3.5 GHz band offers a balance between network capacity and coverage, making it particularly useful in urban and other locations with high data traffic.
Airtel’s acquisition comes after the company secured a separate 25-year operating licence in August 2026. Airtel Kenya managing director Djibril Tobe announced that the company had obtained the renewed authorisation after paying an undisclosed fee, ending a prolonged dispute over its operating permits.
The company’s original operating licence expired in 2015, after which Airtel relied on permits inherited from YuMobile, which it acquired in 2014. An out-of-court settlement with the CA in 2022 paved the way for renewal arrangements, followed by a temporary two-year authorisation running to January 2027 before the new long-term licence was announced.
The two 25-year authorisations give Airtel a longer planning horizon for its telecommunications operations and access to additional network capacity. The spectrum allocation covers the specific 3500 MHz frequency rights, while the operating licence provides the broader regulatory authorisation for its business.
The investment comes as Kenya’s 5G market records strong subscriber growth, with Communications Authority statistics showing that subscriptions increased to 2.1 million in June 2026 from 1.2 million a year earlier. This represents a 75 percent annual increase as operators expand their networks and more customers adopt compatible devices.
Data consumption figures also illustrate the commercial importance of the technology. According to figures reported by TechTrendsKE from the CA’s June 2026 statistics, average monthly data consumption among 5G subscriptions reached 64.4GB in the quarter ended June, compared with 15.8GB for 4G and 8.3GB for 3G.
The difference points to the heavier network demands associated with 5G users, who consume substantially more data than subscribers on older mobile technologies. For operators such as Airtel, additional spectrum capacity can help accommodate this traffic while supporting the delivery of high-speed services.
Kenya’s wider mobile market provides room for further growth. The CA recorded 52.26 million smartphone connections and 54.93 million mobile broadband subscriptions in June 2026, reflecting the substantial base of connected consumers and businesses that operators can target with broadband services.
Safaricom launched commercial 5G services in October 2022 following trials that began in March 2021 in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and other urban centres with high data traffic. Airtel Kenya entered the market in 2023, initially recording more 5G sites than its rival before Safaricom expanded its network to 803 sites in March 2024, against Airtel’s 690.
The two operators have since competed to expand their infrastructure and attract customers seeking faster mobile connectivity. Safaricom held 64.4 percent of Kenya’s mobile broadband market in June 2026, while its overall mobile subscription market share stood at 69.8 percent, according to CA figures reported by TechTrendsKE.
Airtel’s spectrum investment forms part of a wider strategy to serve Kenya’s home and business broadband market through different connectivity technologies. In April 2026, the company introduced Airtel Xstream Fibre packages for residential and business customers, with monthly prices starting at Sh1,999 for advertised speeds of 15 Mbps and reaching Sh4,999 for 100 Mbps.
The retail fibre service operates through Airtel Networks Kenya Limited, which is separate from Airtel Kenya Telesonic Limited, the company’s wholesale fibre subsidiary. Telesonic was established to sell fibre capacity and connectivity services to other operators, internet service providers, enterprises and institutions.
Airtel Kenya Telesonic recorded no revenue in 2024 and 2025, while its net loss increased to Sh16.1 million in 2025, according to its financial records reported by Business Daily. The subsidiary subsequently began voluntary winding-up procedures, with the company citing strategic, operational and commercial considerations.
The closure does not affect Airtel’s separate retail fibre operation. Airtel Networks Kenya Limited continues to operate the consumer and enterprise broadband business, giving the company a presence in the fixed internet market alongside its mobile network services.
Airtel Africa has also identified fixed wireless access (FWA) as part of its home broadband strategy, using 5G spectrum to deliver internet connections through compatible wireless routers. The approach allows operators to serve households and businesses through mobile network infrastructure, complementing fibre connections in locations where fixed-line deployment is less practical.
The wider infrastructure programme also includes Airtel Africa’s investment in terrestrial fibre and international connectivity. The group reported adding more than 3,250 network sites and 3,200 kilometres of fibre over the preceding year, while its Nxtra data centre project in Kenya is targeting completion in July 2027.
Airtel’s spectrum acquisition comes as Kenya’s telecommunications industry faces a wider debate over the cost of accessing radio frequencies. In October 2026, Safaricom secured permission from the High Court to participate in a legal dispute involving Jamii Telecommunications and the CA’s revised spectrum pricing framework.
The dispute centres on changes introduced in 2025 that replaced a previous spectrum fee structure based on the number of network transmitters with charges calculated according to the amount of spectrum allocated to an operator. The regulator said the revised framework accounts for inflation, technological developments, efficient spectrum utilisation and investment requirements.
Jamii Telecommunications challenged the revised charges, arguing that the framework could favour larger operators and weaken competition. The Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal suspended implementation of the revised fees in April 2025 pending determination of the company’s application, while Safaricom sought to participate because the outcome could affect its regulatory obligations, financial expenditure and investment planning.
The dispute highlights the financial importance of spectrum allocation as operators seek additional capacity to support mobile broadband growth. Airtel’s purchase of 100 MHz for $65 million represents a long-term commitment to Kenya’s 5G market as it competes with Safaricom for mobile and fixed broadband customers.
Safaricom has also secured a new 25-year operating licence, although it did not disclose the amount paid for the renewal. Its financial statements for the year ended March 2026 showed Sh16.3 billion in licence expenditure in Kenya during the year, reflecting the scale of regulatory costs associated with operating telecommunications infrastructure.
Airtel’s spectrum acquisition adds another substantial investment to the company’s Kenyan operations, giving it access to additional 5G capacity as mobile data consumption grows and competition for broadband customers continues.
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Nairobi, Kenya, 30th October 2026 …Kenyan gamers are getting new opportunities to test their skills against international competitors as esports gains ground through organised tournaments, university leagues and online competitions, opening up potential career paths.Red Bull Wings Cup is bringing this opportunity to Kenyan gamers, with the country’s top EA SPORTS FC 27 players competing for a chance to represent Kenya at the World Final in Miami, United States, in January 2027.
Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Kamau Thugge has called on the National Treasury to reduce government borrowing from the domestic market, arguing that monetary policy alone cannot deliver lower lending rates without support from fiscal policy.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Finance and Planning Committee, Thugge said the government needed to reduce its fiscal deficit and domestic borrowing if Kenya was to achieve more affordable credit. He told lawmakers that monetary and fiscal policy must work together, warning that the two cannot operate in opposing directions while the Central Bank pursues lower interest rates.
The Governor’s remarks put the government’s financing requirements at the centre of the debate over borrowing costs. CBK can adjust its monetary policy instruments to influence interest rates, but government demand for financing also affects conditions in the domestic credit market, where banks and other investors allocate funds between public and private borrowers.
Thugge told the committee that monetary policy was insufficient on its own to achieve lower lending rates, adding that fiscal policy needed to support the Central Bank’s efforts.
“So we can’t have a situation where they are not working together,” he said, linking lower borrowing costs to a smaller fiscal deficit and reduced government borrowing.
The Governor argued that reducing the government’s financing requirements would help create conditions for lower interest rates and improve the affordability of loans. His position reflects the relationship between public borrowing and private-sector financing, since the government competes with businesses and households for funds available in the domestic market.
When banks and investors allocate a substantial share of their resources to government securities, less funding may be available for private-sector lending. Government borrowing can also influence the returns demanded by investors across the domestic market, affecting the wider cost of financing.
The Governor’s argument is that monetary easing needs to be accompanied by a reduction in the government’s demand for domestic financing if borrowers are to benefit from lower rates.
Thugge used the Treasury’s borrowing requirements to illustrate how government financing plans have changed during budget implementation.
He told lawmakers that the domestic borrowing requirement for the 2025/26 financial year initially stood at KSh634.8 billion before being increased to KSh994.8 billion through a supplementary budget.
The Governor also presented a domestic borrowing requirement of KSh987 billion in the figures he discussed, saying CBK hoped the amount would not change significantly through further supplementary budgets.
“We hope this 987 does not change very much in the event that there are supplementary budgets that will be coming,” Thugge told the committee.
His comments highlighted the effect of supplementary budgets on the government’s financing requirements, particularly when additional expenditure leads to higher domestic borrowing.
The Governor also reviewed CBK’s performance in meeting the borrowing targets assigned to it by the Treasury. He said the Central Bank had achieved 100% of its assigned targets for several years, with some exceptions where supplementary budget requests were submitted close to the end of the financial year.
Thugge said CBK had again funded 100% of the target in the previous financial year and expected to meet its allocation in the current year.
The Treasury’s 2027/28 budget projections provide further context to the Governor’s argument. The projected fiscal deficit stands at KSh1.353 trillion, equivalent to 5.9% of gross domestic product, while net domestic borrowing is projected at KSh929.1 billion.
These financing requirements make government borrowing an important consideration in the domestic interest rate environment. The amount the Treasury raises locally affects the pool of funds available to other borrowers and the returns investors expect from lending to the government.
For commercial banks, government securities provide an alternative to lending to households and businesses. Their allocation decisions are influenced by the relative returns, risks and capital requirements associated with different assets.
Thugge’s position is that reducing the government’s financing needs would help ease pressure on domestic funding conditions and support the transmission of monetary policy into lower lending rates.
The Governor’s comments build on CBK’s broader argument that lower interest rates depend on more than changes to the Central Bank Rate.
Monetary policy influences the cost of money in the economy, while fiscal policy determines how much the government needs to borrow to finance its expenditure. When government borrowing remains high, the effect of monetary easing on private-sector financing can be limited.
Thugge therefore wants the Treasury to reduce its fiscal deficit and domestic borrowing as the Central Bank works to improve credit affordability.
His intervention also places responsibility for lower borrowing costs across government institutions. CBK can influence monetary conditions, but the Treasury’s borrowing decisions shape the environment in which banks price and allocate credit.
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