President William Ruto is set to address the nation at 4pm on Wednesday. In an invite seen by the Star, the briefing will be held at State House, Nairobi. The president is expected to majorly address the concerns raised about the Finance Bill, 2024. State House sources earlier told the Star that the Head of state has also declined to assent to the Bill. It will be sent back to Parliament before they break for recess today.

An online outpouring of anger over tax increases has swelled into a nationwide protest movement calling for a political overhaul, in the most serious crisis of President William Ruto's two-year-old presidency. Read: Kenya anti-tax protesters take to the streets - LIVEMany social media users focused on Ruto's speech after the clashes, in which he said the attack on parliament was the work of "criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters". "Good morning fellow CRIMINALS Tupatane Thursday to do what CRIMINALS do," one X user posted. Protesters say they want the whole bill scrapped, and many are now demanding that Ruto resign. The protest movement, which has no formal leadership and has primarily organised on social media platforms, turned out thousands of supporters in dozens of towns and cities on Tuesday.

0 SHARES Share TweetNAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 26 – President William Ruto is expected to address the nation at 4.00pm at State House, Nairobi. The address comes amid a push from various quarters for him not to assent to the controversial Finance Bill 2024 that has elicited public outrage. During the address, he is expected to outline the way forward over the matter. About The Author

In a strategic pivot, Kenyan avocado producers are increasingly targeting the Chinese market, leveraging the Kenya Ports Authority's (KPA) logistical support to tap into a potential consumer base exceeding 1.4 billion. This move comes as Kenya commenced avocado exports to China in August 2022, following prolonged negotiations, witnessing a significant uptick in trade volumes. According to Chinese customs data, Kenya's avocado shipments to China saw a tenfold increase in 2023, with imports escalating to 4,324.1 tonnes from 443.6 tonnes the previous year. The surge is attributed to the high-quality Hass avocados produced by farms like Acacia, which meet both Chinese market and European Union standards. KPA's initiatives include prioritizing the loading of avocado shipments and minimizing bureaucratic delays, thus ensuring timely and cost-effective exports.

President William Ruto has ordered a crackdown on anti-Finance Bill protesters, terming the protests “treasonous”. Addressing a press briefing at State House, Nairobi last evening, the president said “dangerous people” were behind the demonstrations that saw Parliament breached by protesters. He congratulated the police for their conduct during the protests, saying they acted “to the best of their ability”. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who said he was coming to Kenyans “with a heavy heart”, urged calm and restraint from Kenya’s leadership and called on his predecessor to listen to Kenyans. Many Kenyans reported low internet speeds, with network providers saying the situation was caused by damage to two underwater fibre optic cables.

"If you look at the national policy on plastic waste management which was adopted in 2020, it envisaged that by 2025, some categories of plastic will be banned in Nigeria," Deputy Minister of Environment Iziaq Salako said. AdvertisementNigeria announced a national policy to curb plastic waste pollution in 2020 when total annual plastic waste was around 1.5 million metric tonnes, according to the plan seen by Reuters. The document highlights how proper plastic waste management can create a circular economy, where plastic design, production and use leads to recycling for reuse. Nigeria is also drafting a new plastic use policy that targets a phased approach to eliminating plastic waste. "It's good to start with low-hanging fruits, which is single-use plastic and beginning the implementation at government offices is a good signal," said Leslie Adogame, executive director of Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development, a Nigerian non-profit.

Newly married Nigerian singer Davido warns his friends about marrying an Igbo woman and why. In the trending clip, Davido warned his friends about getting into a relationship and marrying an Igbo woman. Watch the moment Davido lamented about marrying an Igbo woman:Reactions trail video of Davido lamenting Igbo cultureHere are some of the comments that trailed Davido's video as he lamented about marrying an Igbo woman:@dhameikay:"Dat sexxxy voice is it from Lati’s mouth? @adamma.ifyy:"He’s sooo happy like “finally” kind of happy happy married life 001." Davido and Chioma welcome twinsPreviously, Davido shared more details about his newborn twins, to the joy of many fans.

During a press briefing, Kalonzo stated that should the abducted Kenyans not be released, Azimio would seek avenues to hold the national government accountable. The former vice president stated that Ruto failed the nation by refusing to condole and sympathise with Kenyans who were met with excessive force by the police during the demonstrations. He remarked this was akin to what happened in 2023 when over 75 Kenyans were killed during opposition-led protests. Flanked by other Azimio Principals, Kalonzo further remarked it was unlawful for Ruto to deploy the military to quell protests. In solidarity with injured Kenyans, Kalonzo stated that Azimio politicians would donate blood at Kenyatta National Hospital.

As the country erupted in anger after the passage of the controversial Finance Bill, 2024, a number of MPs who supported it suffered heavy losses after their homes and properties were attacked and vandalised. As the MPs were scampering for safety at Parliament buildings, protestors in Kikuyu constituency were razing down the offices belonging to the National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah. He has vehemently defended the Bill that now awaits President William Ruto’s signature to become law. “We are all in one area but we can’t disclose as we fear angry protesters are baying for our blood. Opposition leaders blamed the President and the ‘ignorant MPs’ for Tuesday’s chaos claiming it was the State that provoked the youth.

Radio Africa Group founder and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Quarcoo is stepping down after leading the media stable for 24 years. ODM leader Raila Odinga hosted Radio Africa CEO Patrick Quarcoo at his office on Thursday, May 28, 2020 Twitter“We are grateful for Quarcoo’s dedication and leadership over the years. Quarcoo founded Radio Africa Group in 2000, which houses The Star newspaper and a slate of successful radio stations. "As Radio Africa Group moves forward, this transition marks a pivotal moment for our business," read the statement in part. During his time at the helm of the company, Quarcoo oversaw management of The Star newspaper, KISS FM, Classic FM, Redio Jambo, East FM, Smooth FM, and X FM.

Athing Mu will not defend her Olympic title after the USA track and field officials denied her appeal. The track world has been thrown into a state of shock following after the USA track officials denied an appeal from defending Olympic champion Athing Mu who fell at the US trials and failed to make the cut to the top three finishers. Despite the fall, track officials have denied her a chance to defend her title, a move that has irked the track world including her coach Bob Kersee. Athing Mu's🇺🇸 appeal after she fell at the US Olympic Trials was denied. The American track and field officials reviewed footage of the race but eventually denied the appeal and they did not give details.

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops is now pleading for a peaceful and meaningful engagement in the face of violence that greeted the passage of contentious Finance Bill 2024. The bishops say such an engagement between the leaders and the citizens is necessary given the situation in the country and most importantly for the good of the nation. The clergy argue that the situation might spiral out of hand if Kenyans don’t engage in matters currently deemed pertinent. This was not the initial aim of the Gen Z protests. The government must listen to the pain of its citizens caused by the high cost of living.

President William Ruto has continued to heap praises on the youths of Kenya, more so the Gen Zs who were at the forefront of the anti-Finance Bill protests. assuring them that his promise to hold dialogue with them is still on. "I thank you and assure you that the conversation that you have begun around pertinent issues of our nation, will continue to inform our policy and governance decisions," Ruto said. The President also said the conversation must be subjected to the rule of law. The President further decried that his planned conversation with the young people had been allegedly hijacked by dangerous criminals who have caused the nation loss incurred in Tuesday's protests.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has delivered a stark condemnation following unprecedented scenes at Parliament on Tuesday, June 25th, when protestors breached the premises and ignited chaos, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The Speaker highlighted the gravity of the situation, noting the unprecedented nature of the breach, which saw protestors forcibly enter the hallowed grounds of Parliament, narrowly missing several MPs. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula issued guidance on an advisory from the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning regarding revenue raising issues. The breach at Parliament, where security forces clashed with demonstrators, resulted in multiple injuries and significant property damage. Eventually, security forces regained control of the Parliament building, allowing lawmakers to evacuate through an underground tunnel, according to local media reports.

Media mogul Patrick Quarcoo has retired as the Radio Africa Group CEO after 24 years of service. "When I started Radio Africa Group in 2000, my vision was to create a platform that could inform, inspire, and connect people across Kenya and the continent," Quarcoo said. "As I retire, Radio Africa Group is entering a pivotal phase of its journey. Quarcoo thanked Radio Africa Group staff for their support and dedication throughout the years he started the company saying the company has registered tremendous growth. "Your trust in Radio Africa as a marketing partner has been instrumental in our growth.