In a ceremony dripping with symbolism and dynastic intent, President Yoweri Museveni has awarded his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Kabalega Star Medal—the country’s second-highest military honor. The Kabalega Star, named after the legendary Bunyoro king who resisted British rule, frames Muhoozi as a defender of Ugandan sovereignty, a potent image in the current anti-colonial zeitgeist. The Medal: The Kabalega Star ranks just below the Order of Katonga, reserved for the highest acts of gallantry, effectively placing Muhoozi at the apex of the military pantheon. The Kabalega Star ranks just below the Order of Katonga, reserved for the highest acts of gallantry, effectively placing Muhoozi at the apex of the military pantheon. Muhoozi’s Twitter diplomacy has already ruffled feathers in Nairobi; his formal elevation with the Kabalega Star suggests he is here to stay, backed by the full weight of the state machinery.

Yet, our electoral system sidelines them until age 18, a threshold that feels increasingly arbitrary. We should reduce the voting age to 16, and empower 16 and 17-year-olds to participate in decisions that will shape their lives. Stakes differ, yet cognitive studies, the processes by which people learn to think, solve problems, and reason, affirm adolescents reach logical peaks by age 16, suggesting the gap until age 18 is overstated. The Children Act 2022 sets criminal responsibility at 12 years, with full liability by age 16. Lowering to age 16 is democracy’s evolution, reflecting our young society.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s faction within the Azimio coalition is signalling imminent changes to the opposition’s parliamentary leadership. The move could deepen the cracks in the outfit even as ODM formally protests what it terms unilateral alterations to the coalition’s top structure.

Kenya’s economy is showing signs of a resilient rebound after slower growth in 2024, the 2026 Economic Outlook released by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) in partnership with the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) and KPMG has shown. The outlook says leading indicators point to improved performance, with the Central Bank of Kenya projecting economic growth of 5.2 per cent in 2025 and 5.5 per cent in 2026. However, private sector leaders speaking at the 2026 Economic Outlook forum in Nairobi cautioned that despite a stabilising macroeconomic environment, businesses must remain agile. She said the private sector remains central to driving inclusive growth through investment, job creation and productivity. Analysts at the forum said the 2026 economic landscape is characterised by steady recovery and a focus on fiscal stabilisation.

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Man running towards President William Ruto during the Nyota event in Mombasa/SCREENGRABA brief security incident occurred in Mombasa on Friday when an unidentified man ran towards President William Ruto as he addressed beneficiaries of the Nyota youth empowerment programme. However, Ruto intervened, telling one of the officers, “Habari yako boss, wachana naye,” urging them to momentarily let the man speak. “Very good Jeremiah,” the President said, jokingly adding, “Naona umeweka box,” in apparent reference to the man’s hairstyle. Ruto then asked him about his shoes, saying, “Viatu imepotea wapi?”“Nimeziwacha,” Jeremiah replied, prompting laughter from the President and the crowd. The President then sought to establish whether the man was a beneficiary of the programme, asking, “Kwanza leo wewe ni mtu wa NYOTA hapa?”“Mimi sio mtu wa NYOTA hapa (I am not a beneficiary),” Jeremiah admitted.

Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser for strategic communications in the Obama White House, said: "Let it haunt Trump and his racist followers that future Americans will embrace the Obamas as beloved figures while studying him as a stain on our country."

Since assuming the presidency of the United States of America, Donald Trump has been very vocal about illegal immigration. As a result, the Trump administration has consistently deported immigrants living illegally in the United States. In a written response, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that as of mid-December, the United States had deported 3,414 Indians. Apart from this, countries such as Malaysia, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, and neighbouring China have also deported Indian nationals. Deported Immigrants Sent Back in HandcuffsFollowing reports of the inhumane deportation of Indian illegal immigrants in handcuffs and chains in 2025, the opposition strongly raised the issue in Parliament.

CaptionPresident William Ruto has named new envoys to missions aboard in fresh changes in his administration’s Foreign Service. Frank Ole Kibelekenya has been nominated as the ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Former Fafi MP Elias Bare has been nominated as a deputy ambassador to Somalia while Hussein Nur has been nominated in the same capacity to serve in Tanzania. Warui is a lawyer and is a pastor who founded House of Divine Solution International Ministry. Bare who also a businessman and served as Fafi MP in the 11th parliament.

Police in Makueni County have arrested a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer, a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer and a businessman over alleged extortion. The suspects were identified as Samuel Ogando of KDF, Nelson Kasera of the DCI headquarters and Joseph Mulwa. In Nyeri County, police arrested a foreign national of Egyptian descent for hawking household items without valid documents. Elsewhere, in Uasin Gishu County, detectives arrested three men in Eldoret and recovered dozens of identification documents suspected to be stolen or forged. Police also recovered two Congolese driving licences, several South Sudanese driving licences, national ID cards, and a South Sudanese logbook.

The state-of-the-art animal feed manufacturing facility in Athi River will be officially opened on Feb 18, under the management of global animal nutrition company De Heus Kenya. [Courtesy]A Dutch-based firm is now eying the Kenyan market with an upcoming Sh3 billion animal feed factory. The state-of-the-art animal feed manufacturing facility in Athi River will be officially opened on Feb 18, under the management of global animal nutrition company De Heus Kenya. It will produce a wide range of animal nutrition products, including compound feeds, concentrates, premixes, and speciality feeds for poultry, pigs, ruminants, and aquaculture. These services, he said, are aimed at helping farmers translate feed quality into measurable productivity gains.

Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka at Washington Dulles International Airport ahead of National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC /DENISH OCHIENGThis is premium contentSubscribe to Continue ReadingHelp us continue bringing you unbiased news, in-depth investigations, and diverse perspectives. Your subscription keeps our mission alive and empowers us to provide high-quality, trustworthy journalism. Join us today to make a difference!

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“All three Kenyans were lured into Russia's war against Ukraine in Qatar, where they worked for security companies with high, stable incomes,” the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine said. Ukrainian intelligence said the men travelled separately to a recruitment centre in Yaroslavl over several weeks. “The enemy uses this ground for accelerated military training, sending recruits directly to units of the occupation army engaged in combat operations,” the agency said. Citing testimony from captured Russian soldiers, Ukrainian officials said such formations are often tasked with the most dangerous assaults. The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine said it is continuing to document cases of foreign nationals being drawn into Russia’s forces and issued a blunt warning.

They heaped compliments on each other during the visit and signed a deal on rare earths, as well as a document heralding a new "golden age" of US-Japan relations. Takaichi described Trump as a "partner in a new golden era", and praised his role in bringing peace to the Middle East.