Former KICC board chairperson Irungu Nyakera has dismissed social media claims that he had a fallout with Rigathi Gachagua and left DCP for Farmers Party.
In a post on Thursday, May 7, Nyakera described the claims as aimed at creating confusion and weakening the opposition.
Nyakera denied falling out with Gachagua, noting that he still considers him his political mentor.
“I have never fallen out with Rigathi Gachagua. In fact, I still consider him a political mentor and a man courageously carrying the Wantam message across the country,” he stated.
The Former PS also made it clear that he never left the Farmers party but only stepped down as party leader after he joined the government.
File image of Irungu Nyakera.
Nyakera said his role in DCP was only as Patron for Nairobi due to his gubernatorial ambitions in the capital.
“I never left Farmers Party. I only stepped down as Party Leader when I joined government, in line with government circulars that bar chairpersons of state boards from holding political party positions. My role in DCP was only as Patron for Nairobi because of my gubernatorial ambitions for Nairobi,” Nyakera said.
Further, he denied the allegations that he was solely funding the DCP party’s operations in the Lavington office.
Nyakera explained that the Gachagua-led party is funded by many people who believe in its cause.
“DCP is not funded by one individual. Like every serious political movement, it survives through the efforts of many people internally and friends who believe in the cause.
“Everyone contributes in their own way, and no single person can claim ownership of the party or its activities,” he added.
DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, May 6, alleged that the National Intelligence Service had planted a leader in the United Opposition to divide it.
Speaking in Murang’a County, Gachagua claimed that Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Jeremiah Kioni was a mole.
He referred to his interview on Radio Generation, where Kioni questioned where Fred Matiang’i and Kalonzo Musyoka would go if Gachagua were allowed to run for president.
The former Deputy President accused Kioni of trying to plant seeds of division by hinting that the United Opposition would split.
“Be very careful in your parties because Ruto has planted spies to divide us. Yesterday, I saw one of the leaders within the United Opposition in an interview, where he questioned where Kalonzo and Matiangi would go if Rigathi runs for president.
A file photo of DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua with Jubilee Deputy Leader Jeremiah Kioni
“He is pretending to be with us, yet he is being used by Kasongo to create enmity between us. You are pretending to be in the Opposition because you have been planted by the NIS to divide us,” he stated.
Gachagua claimed that, from his point of view and that of his supporters, he would be the best candidate to face President William Ruto on the ballot.
However, he disclosed that he would throw his weight behind the candidate who will be chosen as the flagbearer of the United Opposition.
“When I speak to Kenyans and my supporters, they say that I should be the sole presidential candidate to face Ruto. But I declare that if they choose Kalonzo, Matiang’i, Karua, or Wamalwa, I will support them,” he stated.
In the interview, Kioni claimed that the United Opposition was uncertain and even lacked the formula to pick their desired candidate.
He stated that Kenyans hate uncertainty, which could cost the Opposition in 2027 if they do not make up their minds soon enough.
The former Deputy President defended Murang’a Governor Iungu Kang’ata over attacks mounted on him for declaring that he would not defend his seat under UDA.
He told leaders, including Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, to associate with him and other leaders who have decamped to DCP well.
Gachagua advised Wahome to focus on her work as CS, but keep in mind that he would be the next president.
The Commission on Administrative Justice has intervened in a case that led to the release of a deceased person’s body from Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.
In a statement on Thursday, May 7, the Office of the Ombudsman said the matter was brought before the Commission after a complaint lodged on February 28.
The complainant alleged that the hospital had detained the remains of his late brother and the family had been unable to proceed with burial arrangements.
According to the commission, the hospital’s decision was linked to an outstanding bill that the family could not settle.
“The hospital had declined to release the body for burial pending settlement of an outstanding medical bill of Ksh467,755, which the family was unable to pay,” the statement read.
The commission opened an inquiry into the complaint and engaged CGTRH Chief Executive Officer in an effort to resolve the matter through mediation.
“Following a mediation meeting convened at the Commission’s request on 7 April 2026, it was agreed that a waiver would be sought. On 15 April 2026, the County Executive Committee Member for Health approved a full waiver of the debt,” the statement added.
Following the approval of the waiver, the hospital released the remains to the family on April 17, bringing the matter to a close.
The National Assembly has released the venues and dates for public hearings on the 2026/27 Budget Estimates, inviting Kenyans to submit their views.
According to a notice issued by the Clerk of the National Assembly, the hearings will be conducted by the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
The notice states that the hearings are being held pursuant to Articles 118 and 221 of the Constitution, which require Parliament to facilitate public participation and seek representations from the public on revenue and expenditure estimates.
“Whereas, Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution requires Parliament to facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of Parliament and its Committees; and Article 221(5) of the Constitution requires the Committee of the National Assembly, which considers estimates of revenue and expenditure, to seek representations from the public,” the notice read.
The National Assembly invited members of the public and stakeholders to submit memoranda on the estimates before the deadline.
“Now therefore, Pursuant to the provisions of Article 118 (1)(b) and Article 221 (4) and (5) of the Constitution, the Clerk of the National Assembly invites members of the public and stakeholders to submit any representations that they may have on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Financial Year 2026/27 and the Medium Term to the Budget and Appropriations Committee,” the notice added.
File image of John Mbadi
The hearings will be held in 16 counties between May 13 and May 15, 2026.
The selected venues include Kitui Multi-Purpose Hall in Kitui County, Garissa Library in Garissa Town, Orero Boys National School Hall in Homa Bay, Ol Joro Orok CDF Hall in Nyandarua, and the Utawala DCC Office in Nairobi.
Other venues announced by Parliament include Busia Agricultural Training Center in Busia County, Siaya IEBC Hall in Siaya, ICM Kopsiro in Bungoma, CDF Hall in Central Kerugoya Town in Kirinyaga County, and Bughuta Social Hall in Taita Taveta County.
The hearings will also be conducted at Tana River County Social Hall in Hola Town, Catholic Church Hall in Marsabit Town, St. Bakita Conference Centre in Bomet County, Kiserian Catholic Don Bosco in Kajiado County, Mtelo Hall in West Pokot County, and Kamundi Hall in Meru County.
Parliament directed that all written memoranda should include the submitter’s name and contact details and be delivered physically to the Office of the Clerk at Parliament Buildings or emailed to cna@parliament.go.ke by May 25, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
According to the notice, the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the 2026/27 Financial Year are available at the National Assembly Table Office and on Parliament’s official website.
Kenya’s 2026/27 budget proposes a Ksh4.8 trillion spending plan, with projected revenue of KSh 3.6 trillion and a fiscal deficit of Ksh1.1 trillion, equivalent to 5.3 percent of GDP.
Economic growth is projected at 5.0 percent. A major share of spending will go to recurrent expenditure such as salaries, goods and services, while development allocations will fund projects and infrastructure.
The education sector receives the largest allocation at Ksh668.3 billion, followed by national security at Ksh566.9 billion.
Roads are allocated Ksh230.3 billion, health Ksh170.7 billion, and housing and urban development Ksh135.8 billion.
County governments will receive Ksh420 billion as an equitable share, plus Ksh75.5 billion in additional allocations, loans and grants.
Parliament has been allocated Ksh48.7 billion, while the Judiciary will receive Ksh30.4 billion. Consolidated Fund Services take up Ksh1.5 trillion, mainly for debt interest payments and pensions.
The budget plans to raise revenue through tax reforms, improved compliance and technology-driven systems, while borrowing will continue under the Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy.
Public debt remains at high risk, standing at 65.3 percent of GDP.
The government also warns that droughts, floods, global price shocks and geopolitical tensions could affect implementation and economic stability.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Wednesday hosted High Court Judge Hon. Justice Onyiego John Nyabuto and Chief Magistrate Hon. Peter Gesora during a courtesy visit at his office.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the County Government and the Judiciary, particularaly the proposed construction of the Matiliku Law Court.
The judicial leaders sought the County Government’s support in facilitating land acquisition for the project.
Governor Mutula reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enhancing access to justice, pledging to support the initiative by ensuring that suitable land is identified, secured, and made available for the construction of the court.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has commenced investigations into the fatal shooting of two people in Luanda, Vihiga County.
The alleged shooting by police occurred on May 4 during a protest by bodaboda operators over the impounding of 20 motorcycles by law enforcement officers amid a probe into spiking motorcycle theft and other motorcycle-related criminal activity.
Reports indicate that a local DJ and a primary school staff member were shot dead.
IPOA noted that protesters took to the streets moments after the confiscation of the motorcycles, barricading the Kisumu–Busia highway while others allegedly attempted to forcibly retrieve the motorcycles from Luanda Police Station.
“The situation escalated into public disorder, during which incidents of looting from nearby premises were also reported, prompting the deployment of reinforcement officers from Sabatia, Vihiga, and Emuhaya Sub-Counties to restore order,” IPOA said in a statement.
The unrest, according to the Authority, led to the death of one person, the arrest of five suspected protesters, and seven injured police officers.
IPOA believes that the probe will determine whether the use of force was justified and whether established public order management protocols were adhered to.
The National Police Service has also been urged to uphold and respect the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful protest while responding to public unrest.
Siaya Governor James Orengo has said he has no personal beef with his Senator Oburu Oginga, insisting he only quietened his appointment as a party leader.
According to Orengo, Oburu was irregularly named as replacement of his brother Raila Odinga to the office of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader.
The governor said ODM violated its own constitution to hurriedly install Oburu who was not holding any top position in the National Executive Council (NEC) back then, moments after Raila’s death on October 15, last year.
Appearing at the JK Live on Citizen TV last night, Orengo claimed that the ODM procedures were hijacked and directed by outsiders who used senior party officials to appoint Oburu instead of naming of the three deputy party leaders to take over in acting capacity awaiting elections.“I don’t have beef with Oburu Oginga, it is not a personal thing. What we are saying is that ODM must live true to its founding principles and it also must live by the constitution that says when a death occurs of a party leader, one of the three deputy party leaders would become the interim party leader until the elections are held. That did not happen,” he said.
Orengo explained that following the alleged irregular changes that he doesn’t agree with, he decided to also declared himself as the people’s ODM party leader under the separate faction of the party.“But because we cannot have a vacuum, I am the de facto party leader of ODM, and we have a movement within ODM called Linda Mwananchi. I did not just declare, everywhere we went in those mega rallies, people were saying I was the one to lead the party out of this confusion and make ODM be what it should be,” the veteran politician said.
He added; “It is not illegal to declare myself the leader of ODM because we are in very extraordinary circumstances. Raila dies, and a cabal in State House chooses who the next leader of ODM is, a cabal that is presided over by a party that does not belong to ODM. ODM cannot continue being leaderless.”Orengo said the changes in ODM were orchestrated by State House and enabled by four senior members of NEC who include three of his governor colleagues Simba Arati (Kisii) and Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir (Mombasa) as well as Gladys Wanga (Homabay).”The willing sellers are a cabal of ODM officials. When they were making changes to ODM leadership when Raila’s body was still in India, in that meeting there was Gladys Wanga, Junet Mohamed, Governor Arati and Governor Nassir from Mombasa. I can predict that they couldn’t be sitting with a stranger, Ruto, making decisions of the party if he has not bought into the party,” Orengo said.
Siaya Governor James Orengo has said that he does not know the nature of the relationship businessman Oketch Salah claimed to have with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
This comes months after public discussion online over Salah’s association with Raila and the authenticity of claims made about the late opposition leader’s private life and final days.
Speaking on Wednesday at Citizen TV, Orengo said he had encountered the businessman both in Kenya and abroad but could not confirm any close ties between him and the former Prime Minister.“I’ve ran into him in India, I’ve ran into him here in Kenya but I don’t know who he was to Raila,” Orengo said.
Salah, a businessman who frequently shared photos of himself with Raila on social media, had publicly portrayed himself as being close to the ODM leader.
He also claimed that he was present during Raila’s last moments, remarks that have since sparked sharp reactions from members of the Odinga family.
The controversy intensified after EALA MP Winnie Odinga publicly dismissed Salah’s assertions, terming them false and misleading.
She clarified that although she had met Salah before, he was neither a confidant nor part of Raila’s inner circle.“A flat-out lie that you were there at the time of my father’s death and you were not, and talking about things that did not occur is quite dangerous and makes me question his intentions,” Winnie said.
“I have met him before, yes, but nobody really knows him.”Winnie criticised what she described as fabricated claims surrounding her father’s final moments, saying such statements were hurtful to the family during a difficult grieving period.
She called for investigations into individuals spreading unverified information, arguing that the claims were causing unnecessary distress.“Such fabrications should be investigated because they cause unnecessary distress,” she said.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) distanced itself from activities and statements associated with Salah, saying any engagements undertaken by him are strictly in his personal capacity and do not represent or bind the party.In a statement issued in February, the party’s national chairperson, Gladys Wanga, said ODM had found it necessary to clarify its position following actions and engagements linked to Salah that had been associated with the party in public discourse.
The party emphasised that it had not sanctioned any such activities and that Salah does not speak or act on behalf of ODM.”The Orange Democratic Movement wishes to clarify that any activities, statements, or engagements undertaken by Oketch Salah are carried out strictly in his personal capacity and do not represent or bind the Orange Democratic Movement in any way,” the statement read.
Aston Villa’s squad are entering a defining moment under manager Unai Emery.
Trailing 1-0 going into Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest (20:00 BST), a 30-year trophy drought hangs around the club’s neck.
There is a growing sense it is this squad’s last chance to end it.
Nine of the current squad started Emery’s first game – a 3-1 win over Manchester United in November 2022 – with John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara coming off the bench.
Six of those players started against Forest last week, Villa suffering a first-leg defeat.
Stability has underpinned Villa’s success under former Arsenal boss Emery, who took over when the club were 14th and three points above the relegation zone.
But as they stumble just before the biggest game of his reign, has Emery taken this group as far as he can.
Villa’s wretched 2-1 home defeat by Tottenham on Sunday – a third consecutive loss – did not give them the ideal platform, even if Emery made eight changes.
It underlined the lack of depth within the squad, with Emi Martinez, Matty Cash, Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers viewed as the only first-choice starters in Sunday’s XI.
Emery, though, has earned admiration from at least two fellow Premier League managers who have been privately impressed with the decisions he made – a clear focus on his biggest game at the club – and how he stuck to the strategy.
He has won the Europa League a record four times – three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal – and with minds focused those close to Emery expect to see a different performance to Sunday’s surrender.
“We are improving, including myself, and we will have more challenges to set for the present or future,” said Emery, when asked if this is the last chance for this squad to win something.
“I don’t think tomorrow is the last opportunity for us or anyone. The players are enjoying the process we are doing and they are aware about how difficult football is, and this is the greatest moment we are having in the last three years.
“It will break nothing about how we are thinking and trying to improve.”
Even if Emery believes they can push for honours beyond this season and with Champions League football – Villa should finish in the Premier League’s top five regardless of their European fate – changes are expected.
The squad needs to be refreshed and selling players is the easiest way to comply with regulations – with England forward Morgan Rogers their biggest asset.
There is a realisation a significant number need to be recycled and Emery has been aware since the opening month of the season what needs to be done.
He and president of football operations Roberto Olabe are aligned, but Olabe was brought in to help progress Villa further, more medium and longer term.
Going forward there will be more focus on younger players, and filling the necessary first-team gaps with more senior signings, but Emery, the same as any manager, wants players who are ready now.
The pair are close – Emery handpicked Olabe to replace Monchi in September – so a common ground is found and the duo spend hours talking about tactics and philosophies, conversations which usually start in the club’s canteen at Bodymoor Heath.
Yet the desire for new players to take Villa to the next level is the hardest task.
The squad has likely reached its limit and there appears to be a gap between the expected core of 13 and the rest, but to sign players who will really improve the group costs money.
It is why Villa re-signed Douglas Luiz on loan in January. The midfielder has failed to impress at Juventus, and during his loan spell at Nottingham Forest this season, but knows Emery’s methods.
Spending restrictions mean the club have had to work carefully as they aim to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR), both the Premier League’s and Uefa’s – having been fined by the European governing body last year.
Villa feel there needs to be regulation, but believe the different spending rules do not complement each other.
To do that, Luiz was initially sold to Juventus after Villa reached the Champions League two years ago, and last summer Jacob Ramsey left for Newcastle for £40m.
Villa do not want to spend the £35m to make Harvey Elliott’s loan from Liverpool permanent, with the attacking midfielder stuck on nine Premier League appearances – one short of triggering a deal. Elliott is one of those players deemed not good enough for the price.
Although, how Emery and Villa revamp the squad remains up for debate until their Champions League fate is known.
Then the market will dictate, and Emery may be required to work some more magic.
“When I arrived here three and a half years ago, it was a dream to be playing a semi-final of the Europa League,” said the Spaniard.
“Finishing the season like we are now, in the league and in a semi-final, it’s really something fantastic.”
“There are moments in the Champions League when somebody has to deliver a magic moment – and he delivered that again,” Mikel Arteta said after Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid to reach their first major European final in 20 years.
You might be forgiven for thinking the Arsenal manager was referring to Bukayo Saka, whose all-important goal secured their semi-final triumph on Tuesday.
But that “magic moment” on a famous night in north London came from centre-back Gabriel as Atletico were probing for a response to Saka’s opener.
William Saliba’s poor defensive header had gifted Giuliano Simeone a chance to level as he surged past goalkeeper David Raya with the goal at his mercy.
But an alert Gabriel put in a last-ditch effort, applying just enough pressure to distract Simeone as he got his shot away and save Saliba’s blushes.
Arsenal’s defensive resoluteness been often criticised, with them being labelled as dull and over-pragmatic, but it has been fundamental throughout their unbeaten run to the final.
However, their biggest test yet will come on 30 May in Budapest against Paris St-Germain, who reached the final with a 6-5 aggregate win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Champions League MOTD analyst Nedum Onuoha, said: “I was so impressed with PSG. Their work-rate was incredible.
“As much as we can be led by the statistics in talking about how PSG have got an incredible attack, you don’t get this far in this competition without having something in defence as well.
“While we can see how special their attack is, they have worked very hard to get here as a unit and I think as the season has progressed, they have got better and better.”
