Chaos, confusion and rigging claims mar UDA Western party primaries
UDA members at Nabongo primary school polling station during grassroot elections on January 10, 2026. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]President William Ruto may be forced back to the drawing board in his efforts to strengthen the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) after a disappointing turnout and chaotic scenes marked the party’s grassroots elections Saturday. Confusion, accusations of rigging and poor organisation dogged the exercise in several regions, notably Mumias East Constituency in Kakamega County and parts of Bomet, exposing deep fissures within the ruling party as it seeks to consolidate its structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Source:Standard Digital
January 11, 2026 05:30 UTC
Gachagua shadow looms as UDA holds party polls
UDA members after participating in grassroots elections in Vihiga County on January 10, 2026. [Brian Kisanji, Standard]The ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) yesterday conducted grassroots elections in 20 counties, in an exercise marred by low voter turnout and delays in the delivery of election materials. President William Ruto joined other UDA members in voting at Koilel Primary School in Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu County, at around 9am. The Head of State, who is also the party’s national chairperson, was accompanied by Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago.
Source:Standard Digital
January 11, 2026 03:00 UTC
Where is Stella Taraja? A teacher allegedly taken from her house in Saudi Arabia
Stella Cecilia Taraja who was allegedly taken from her house in Saudi Arabia. [Courtesy]The family and friends of Stella Cecilia Taraja, a Kenyan teacher based in Saudi Arabia, are living in agony, gripped by unanswered questions weeks after she allegedly disappeared from her apartment under what they termed as disturbing and suspicious. Stella, known among her friends as 'Faya,' was last heard from on December 25, 2025, when she called her mother who is in Kenya to wish her a Merry Christmas.
Source:Standard Digital
January 11, 2026 03:00 UTC
PSs Sing’Oei, Oluga meet Chinese envoy to advance talks on development of five new hospitals
Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga during the meeting/COURTESYThe session also reviewed progress under the broader Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries. Oluga, on his part, said the discussions also explored deeper cooperation in the health sector, with a focus on medical technology transfer, capacity building, and strengthening Kenya’s health systems. According to Chinese officials, the talks align with China’s commitment to support Kenya’s socioeconomic development through infrastructure investment and sectoral partnerships, especially in health, trade, and agriculture. Both parties expressed confidence that the new hospital development programme will bridge health infrastructure gaps in beneficiary counties and enhance access to specialised medical services. Officials said further technical consultations will be held to finalise implementation frameworks as Kenya and China continue to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Source:The Star
January 11, 2026 02:23 UTC
Stephen Gachanja Completes 50-Hour Tree-Hugging Challenge to Raise Funds for Sick Brother
Stephen Gachanja got support from Kenyans who cheered him as he finished his 50-hour tree-hugging challenge. Source: FacebookGachanja, a 14-year-old boy, launched the tree-hugging challenge at Jeevanjee Garden to raise money for his brother's medical surgery in India. Did Stephen Gachanja finish his tree-hugging challenge? Stephen Gachanja started his tree-hugging mission to raise funds to treat his sick brother. He had previously denied claims that his 80-hour tree-hugging challenge was a copy of Muthoni’s recent 72-hour feat.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 22:41 UTC
From backlash to buy-in: Gachagua’s education remarks gain ground
“Since revenue is shared equitably, why would some regions in Kenya have national schools that exist only by name — just shells?” he posed. Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale was among the first leaders to support Gachagua’s views, arguing that the discussion should focus on accountability in the use of public funds. I strongly believe national schools should reserve 30 per cent of admission slots for students from local communities,” Khalwale said on X. “Hii mambo ya national schools sasa itabidi tuambiane ukweli,” one person said in a video message, loosely translated as a call for honesty in the debate on national schools. Yet some leaders are cited for prioritising school development while others face questions over different investment choices,” he added.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 22:12 UTC
KRA intercepts 5000 litres of illicit ethanol near Nairobi's SGR corridor
KRA intercepts 5,000 litres of illicit ethanol near Nairobi’s SGR corridor. [Courtesy]The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intercepted 5,000 litres of suspected illicit ethanol valued at Sh16.26 million near the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) corridor in Nairobi. However, they recovered the illicit ethanol which had been offloaded and stored within the yard,” read the statement. The operation led to the seizure of 20 drums of illicit ethanol, each with a capacity of 250 litres, amounting to a total of 5,000 litres. The seized goods and the motor vehicle have since been detained at a KRA warehouse as investigations continue.
Source:Standard Digital
January 10, 2026 21:46 UTC
Qualitative education should be the antidote to curriculum crisis
I pose this hypothetical: It is not the education that changes one, it is what one makes of education. Quantitative education, epitomised by the old 8-4-4 system and lingering in CBC’s implementation, reduces learning to numbers. Success is measured by how many students enroll, which boasts of near-universal primary access since 2003’s Free Primary Education, pass standardised tests like the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, or transition to secondary school. Contrast this with qualitative education, which focuses on meaningful outcomes, such as mastering problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and ethical reasoning. Kenya demands qualitative education to unlock true potential.
Source:Standard Digital
January 10, 2026 21:46 UTC
Jupiter to Appear at Its Brightest Tonight, Kenya Space Agency Says
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) has announced that planet Jupiter will appear bigger and brighter than usual in the night sky tonight, January 10, 2026, as Earth aligns directly between the Sun and the giant planet. Opposition occurs roughly once a year and provides stargazers with the planet at its closest and brightest view of the year. The Kenya Space Agency says this event presents a rare opportunity to inspire interest in astronomy and science among both young people and adults. In September last year, Kenyans across the country had the opportunity to witness a rare total lunar eclipse on Sunday, September 7, which produced a striking ‘blood moon’. A total lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow, or umbra, across the lunar surface.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 20:22 UTC
Celeb Disgest: List of Celebrities Who Got Grade A in KCSE, Obinna Survives Crash
Oga Obinna and Mulamwah are among the week's newsmakers. Photos: Oga Obinna and Mulamwah. Digital creator Steve Thompson Maghana, known popularly as Oga Obinna, escaped injury in a road accident on the night of Saturday, December 3, along Nairobi's busy Ngong Road. In light of the recently released KCSE results, TUKO.co.ke listed some of the celebrities who excelled academically in the exams before succeeding in entertainment. Social media posts claimed he gifted the vehicle to the relative for excellent KCSE results.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 20:18 UTC
'I am not afraid of the NDC,' Oburu says amid ODM leadership debate
ODM party leader Oburu Odinga has urged critics questioning the party’s leadership to raise their concerns through the National Delegates Convention (NDC), saying he is confident in internal party processes. Speaking during a funeral service in Alego Constituency, Oburu said he is prepared to convene the NDC to address claims regarding the legitimacy of the party’s leadership. “I chaired all the meetings on the broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto,” he said, adding that no decisions were taken outside the party’s leadership organs. What we will not tolerate is disrespect toward the ODM party leader,” he added. Oburu reassured supporters that ODM remains united, stable, and grounded in its structures, dismissing suggestions of a leadership crisis.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 18:55 UTC
I ditched £420 a week takeaway addiction for unrecognisable size 8 after my body started crushing my lungs
It was part of a £420-a-week takeaway habit that was decimating Tammy’s bank balance as well as her health. At her heaviest the mum-of-two weighed 23st 10lbs, wore a size 32, and needed a walking stick to get around. I could have died and it was petrifying.”Tammy had previously tried to lose weight with Slimming World, the Keto diet and the Cambridge Diet Plan but with no luck. After eight stone with the gastric sleeve Tammy started using Mounjaro in August 2024 to lose an extra four stone, setting her back £150 a month for 12 months. Recent research in the United States found that people with gastric bands lose around half of their excess body weight.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 18:49 UTC
Which celebrity wines to buy and avoid – from Kylie to Snoop Dogg
The release marks another coup for Benchmark Drinks which, founded and run by genial Australian entrepreneur Paul Schaafsma, has become to celebrity wine brands in the 2020s what Stock, Aitken and Waterman was for pop in the 1990s. In an age in which “merch” has become an increasingly important part of an A-lister’s income, it’s not difficult to see why there are so many celebrity wine brands around. He once told me he is sometimes approached by those to whom he has to say, “Mate, you’re not a wine brand.”I’ve taste-tested some of the best-known celebrity wine brands around – here’s how they stack up. He launched his first wines with Benchmark Drinks in 2021 and sold over half-a-million bottles in the first year. There are eight wines in his range, five from South Africa and three from Spain.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 16:47 UTC
Pangani Girls celebrates stellar KCSE performance
Pangani Girls School, Nairobi Principal Dr Millicent Odhiambo and students celebrate KCSE 2025 results at the school. [Elvis Ogina Standard]A wave of jubilation swept through Pangani Girls’ School in Nairobi on Saturday when the principal stepped onto the assembly ground with the long-awaited Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education results. What began as hushed anticipation quickly exploded into song, ululation and spontaneous embraces as the girls realised their school had once again posted a stellar performance, cementing its place among academic powerhouses in the country. For Pangani Girls, this was not just about numbers; it was validation of a deeply ingrained culture of excellence. Pangani Girls School, Nairobi Principal Dr Millicent Odhiambo and students celebrate KCSE 2025 results at the school.
Source:Standard Digital
January 10, 2026 16:32 UTC
Building under construction collapses on Ngong Road
The building that collapsed along Ngong Road/Kenya Red Cross, XA building under construction along Ngong Road collapsed on Saturday, leaving six people evacuated to the hospital, the Kenya Red Cross has confirmed. According to the Red Cross, clearing of the rubble is ongoing, but all trapped persons have now been accounted for. This incident comes just days after a similar tragedy in South C, Nairobi, where a building under construction at the South C Shopping Centre collapsed on January 2. The building that collapsed along Ngong Road/Kenya Red Cross, XThe building that collapsed along Ngong Road/Kenya Red Cross, XA security guard at the South C site recalled hearing a loud bang before realising the building had collapsed. These back-to-back incidents highlight growing concerns over construction safety in Kenya, with questions being raised about adherence to building standards and regulatory oversight.
Source:The Star
January 10, 2026 16:04 UTC