Ademba Allans, the lead of the #TukoKadi voter registration campaign, has criticised politicians for attempting to hijack the youth-led movement, insisting it is a citizen-driven initiative aimed at boosting voter participation and holding leaders accountable.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Ademba described the initiative as a long-term civic mobilisation effort designed to encourage young people to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“It is a force to reckon with. TukoKadi is here to make change. Today, tomorrow, 2027, and forever,” he said.
The campaign, launched as a citizen-led mass voter registration drive, seeks to mobilise Kenyans to sign up at centres established by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Ademba said the movement has grown organically across the country, countering the perception that young people do not participate in elections.
He took issue with politicians, including President William Ruto, who have recently adopted similar slogans encouraging voter registration. Ademba argued that the initiative is meant to empower citizens independently of political influence.
“It was intellectual theft when our president came and said ‘Niko Kadi’. Bro, uko kadi ya nini? We are here to get you out,” Ademba said, warning political leaders against interfering with the campaign.
He added that the movement extends beyond registration to civic education and voter turnout. “People have to take the vote, know the voting process, get civic education, then people have to turn up for voting,” he said.
Also appearing on the panel, youth leader Sophie Njehia described #TukoKadi as a Gen Z-driven platform focused on constitutional change through the ballot. She argued that street protests have not delivered meaningful outcomes for young people.
“We decided that we are going to pursue the constitutional way, which is getting Ruto out on the ballot. Not only Ruto, but also every single MP who has let the people of Kenya down. It is the system that we are uprooting,” she said.
Njehia said the initiative represents a collective of young Kenyans pushing for governance reforms, improved services, and accountability. She emphasized that voter registration and turnout remain the most effective tools for political change.
TukoKadi is a force to reckon with; movement leads Ademba and Sophie, say.
Ademba said the campaign began after he accompanied a friend to a voter registration centre, inspiring him to mobilise others. He maintained that the movement would remain citizen-led and independent of political funding.
“To any politician out there… we don’t want you anywhere in the picture. This is not a politician-led mass voter registration; this is a citizen-led mass voter registration,” he said.
The National Farmers’ Union has warned that food prices in the UK are likely to go up as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw told the BBC that the price of cucumbers and tomatoes could rise over the next six weeks, with the cost of other crops and milk increasing in the next three to six months.Iran’s continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has led to higher costs for fuel and fertiliser, both crucial elements of food production.
The issue is likely to be on the agenda when senior government ministers hold an emergency meeting to discuss the conflict’s effect on the cost of living next week.
Bradshaw said the pressures “span the whole food supply chain” and were something the “government needs to take very seriously”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the effect of the conflict on food production “will turn the world supply upside down, and it will have a dramatic impact”. It is not yet clear what increases shoppers could face, as farmers sell produce to retailers such as supermarkets, which in turn set prices for consumers.
The NFU said that while some of the extra costs might be absorbed by farmers and businesses within that chain, “some costs will inevitably be passed on to the consumer”.
A significant portion of the world’s natural gas, crude oil and fertiliser normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which has now been effectively closed for more than three weeks.
The NFU said that produce grown in glasshouses heated with natural gas, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, are likely to be quickly impacted by rising energy prices.
Livestock and dairy farmers could also be impacted soon as they generally buy fertiliser as and when it is needed.Farmers growing arable crops such as wheat and barley could be better protected from the initial rise in fertiliser prices, as they generally buy in advance.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) also said disruption to shipping routes may affect the availability and prices of some goods.
But it added that retailers and suppliers were “adept at managing this type of disruption” and “will work hard to minimise the impact on customers”.BRC director of food and sustainability Andrew Opie said sustained increases in the cost of energy could “directly impact” the price of goods.
“Amidst this volatile backdrop, it is more important than ever that government keeps other inflationary pressures within its control to a minimum to protect households,” he added.
Bradshaw said: “For our glasshouse horticultural production, things like cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes – it’ll [be] over the next month, six weeks that we see those cost increases coming through to the retailer.
“And then for some of our field-scale produce and some of our crops and milk and things like that, it’ll be the next three to six months that we start to see those prices coming through.”
There are also fears about the rising price of red diesel, a fuel used in machinery and vehicles associated with farming.
Farming minister Angela Eagle said she was “monitoring the developments in the Middle East and the impacts for our food and farming sectors”.
She had raised concerns about the “price transparency” of red diesel with the Competition and Markets Authority, which has now committed to monitoring the sale of fuel.
Senior ministers will hold a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, known as Cobra, next week to discuss how the war in the Middle East is impacting the cost of living.
Stock markets have fallen and the price of oil has risen after Washington and Tehran threatened to escalate hostilities, as the US-Israel war with Iran enters its fourth week.
Japan’s Nikkei share index closed 3.5% lower, London’s FTSE 100 fell 1.9% while the price of Brent crude rose 1%.US President Donald Trump warned on Saturday he would “obliterate” Iranian power plants if the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route was not reopened. Iran said it would respond to any such strikes by targeting key infrastructure in the region.
The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that the war could see the world facing its worst energy crisis in decades.
Japan and South Korea have been particularly affected by the conflict, as they are heavily dependent on oil and gas that would normally pass through the strait. Korea’s Kospi share index closed down 6.5% on Monday.
The falls in European stock markets were not as sharp, but Germany’s Dax index and France’s Cac 40 were both down about 2%.
About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes through the waterway – and the war has sent global fuel prices soaring. IEA chief Fatih Birol compared the current energy crisis to those of the 1970s and the impact of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“This crisis as things stand is now two oil crises and one gas crash put all together,” he said, speaking in Australia.
That threat came after Iranian missiles hit the Israeli city of Dimona, and shortly before a second attack on the town of Arad nearby.
Such action would significantly escalate the conflict, which has already disrupted global energy supplies, pushing up prices and causing fuel shortages.
Simon Flowers, chairman and chief analyst at energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, said the markets were waiting to see if the threats were “carried through”.
“If the US does strike Iranian infrastructure, it escalates the whole intensity of the war a step further and then we’d have to see if Iran strikes back at infrastructure tit-for-tat as they’ve done over the last week or so,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.
Global oil prices rose on Monday, with Brent crude climbing more than 1% to above $113.40 (£85.30) a barrel and US-traded oil was up more than 2% at $100.50.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Trump on Sunday and they discussed the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Later on Monday, Sir Keir is set to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee, which will be attended by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey.
The meeting is expected to focus on energy security and the resilience of supply chains, and discuss the impact of the war on the cost of living.
The price of gold fell again to touch its lowest level for four months.The spot price was down 4.4% to $4,295 an ounce, but earlier it had fallen more than 8% to about $4,099. It is well below the peak of $5,594.82 an ounce it reached in January.
“Gold is usually seen as a safe haven in times of severe conflict, but a collision of factors is pushing down demand,” says Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.
One is that the surge in energy prices seen since the conflict began is expected to push up inflation. This expectation is already increasing interest rates on government bonds. This makes gold a less attractive asset to hold as it earns no interest.
Streeter also says investors who have made losses elsewhere in volatile markets are selling gold to raise money, and another factor is that the strengthening in the value of the dollar also “makes gold more expensive for buyers in other currencies”.
Today we had the pleasure of hosting a team from the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Department during their routine institutional inspection visit.
The team, led by Ms. Evelyne Mbaabu, visited KEFRI to better understand the work the Institute is doing and to evaluate our activities in line with the Science, Technology and Innovation Act, No. 28 of 2013, under which KEFRI is registered.
The team was received by Dr. M.T.E. Mbuvi, Senior Deputy Director, Research and Development, who welcomed them on behalf of the Director.
During the visit, the NACOSTI team toured several laboratories and interacted with researchers and staff, and they commended KEFRI for the quality of research being undertaken and the institute’s strong contribution to sustainable forestry and environmental conservation in Kenya.
They also appreciated the institute’s commitment to innovation, knowledge sharing, and the practical application of research to benefit communities and stakeholders.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to showcase our work, and receive important feedback that will help us continue improving our research and services.
We thank the NACOSTI team for the visit and for their continued support in advancing science, technology, and innovation in the country.
The FORD-Kenya party has rejected calls from within the ruling coalition urging affiliate parties to dissolve and merge into the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement on Monday, March 23, FORD-Kenya Secretary General John Chikati accused sections of UDA leadership of issuing threats that undermine the role of coalition partners.
“The FORD Kenya Party has noted with deep concern the consistent and sustained threats issued by senior leaders within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), most recently articulated by Hon. Samson Cherargei,” the statement read.
Chikati went on to criticize the push for a single dominant party, warning that such demands are both undemocratic and dismissive of Kenya’s multiparty system.
“These utterances, demanding that affiliate parties within the Kenya Kwanza administration should fold up and join UDA ahead of the 2027 General Elections, are not only outrageous but a direct affront to the democratic fabric of our nation,” the statement added.
The party also took issue with what it described as a narrative suggesting UDA could secure victory without the support of its coalition partners.
“It is disheartening to witness a narrative that suggests that UDA has already secured the 2027 polls without the need for its partners. This posture is a blatant dismissal of the reality of the 2022 victory. FORD Kenya, alongside other affiliate parties, played a vital and decisive role in securing the current administration’s mandate.
“To demand the dissolution of Ford Kenya now is to “bite the finger that once fed you.” It implies that affiliate parties were merely a ladder to power, to be discarded once the summit was reached,” the statement continued.
Chikati further warned against attempts to erode Kenya’s multiparty democracy, pointing to constitutional foundations that guarantee political diversity.
“The Political Parties Act of 1992 established the legal framework for a multiparty democracy that is now firmly anchored in our current Constitution. The calls for a single-party monolith are a regressive attempt to return Kenyans to the “dark days” of political stifling.
“Multipartyism allows every Kenyan to participate in the governance of their country through diverse ideologies. If anyone wishes to dismantle this constitutional pillar, they must follow the law through a referendum, rather than through coarsion or political intimidation,” the statement further read.
Chikati also questioned the motives behind the push to dissolve smaller parties, arguing that similar moves in the past have led to instability rather than unity.
“We must ask: what is the true objective of this mission to vanquish affiliate parties? If the goal was “unity,” the results speak for themselves. Since the dissolution of parties like ANC to join UDA, we have witnessed a leadership vacuum where members now claim to be “politically homeless.”
“This has led to a mass exodus of members, some joining FORD Kenya to find refuge, while others have retreated to the opposition parties. Forced mergers do not create unity; they create resentment and instability,” the statement noted.
File image of FORD-Kenya Secretary General John Chikati
Reaffirming the party’s position, Chikati insisted that FORD-Kenya cannot be dissolved, describing it as a historic institution that belongs to the people.
“The current leadership of FORD Kenya are merely trustees of an entity that belongs to the people of Kenya. We have no mandate, morally or legally, to fold up a party that represents the history of our liberation. FORD Kenya cannot and will not be dissolved. It can only be enhanced and protected for future generations,” the statement read.
Looking beyond the 2027 elections, the party warned that setting a precedent of dissolving parties could destabilize the country’s political future.
“We must look beyond the current electoral cycle. What will happens in 2032 when President Ruto’s term will come to an end? If we establish a precedent where parties are swallowed at the whim of the ruling elite, we jeopardize the stability of our nation. In developed democracies worldwide, parties remain as institutions while leaders come and go. That is the standard we must uphold,” the statement added.
Chikati urged coalition partners to focus on governance rather than early political maneuvering.
He also raised concerns over recent remarks by Cherargei, questioning whether they amounted to political intimidation.
“Instead of engaging in premature and divisive political realignments, we urge our coalition partners to remain focused on the promises we made to the electorate. Our energy should be spent fulfilling the pledges we made to the people of Kenya.
XIn his recent remarks Hon. Cherargei stated that leaders of political parties that will not have folded by 2027, will not be considered for appointments in the next government. Is this a threat aimed at forcing leaders to fold their Parties. Are they targeting specific individuals who hold senior positions within the government? Why are such reckless statements being made so casually?” the statement noted.
As such, FORD-Kenya rejected any suggestion that government positions should be tied to party dissolution.
“We categorically reject the threats made by Hon. Cherargei and others who suggest that positions in government are contingent upon folding our party. Governance should be based on merit and the pre-election agreements that formed this coalition, not on political blackmail,” the statement concluded.
This comes months after FORD Kenya withdrew their support for Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi’s bid for the Bungoma County governorship.
Speaking on Monday, December 29, 2025, the party’s leadership said the decision was prompted by Wanyonyi’s statement that he would not seek the seat on a FORD Kenya ticket, despite earlier indications that he would enjoy the party’s backing.
Chikati said the party was taken aback by Wanyonyi’s remarks, arguing that he had never been a member of FORD Kenya and therefore could not speak as though he was walking away from the party’s ticket.
He noted that FORD Kenya will follow its internal processes to nominate and support its own gubernatorial candidate for Bungoma County.
“We are shocked that he is saying that he is not going to vie on a FORD Kenya ticket as if he is a member of FORD Kenya. FORD Kenya is going to have its own candidate who will face nomination and from whom we are going to select who will be our governor,” he said.
On his part, Webuye East MP Martin Pepela said the MP’s conduct had crossed a line and signaled a complete breakdown in their political relationship going forward.
“My friend Tim has shown that he is not the person we thought he was. That is why we are telling Tim that he has crossed the red line; he has clearly shown that he is not a friend to us, and moving forward we are going to handle him as such,” he stated.
Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has reportedly been detained by police shortly after resurfacing from a brief period during which his whereabouts were unknown.
His arrest was confirmed by lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, who said Tuju was taken into custody moments after addressing the press to explain his disappearance over the past 36 hours.
According to Njiru, the former CS was in a fragile state at the time, raising concerns about his health even as authorities moved to take him to Karen police station to record a statement.
Opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka also confirmed the incident, criticising the manner in which Tuju was handled by security officers.
“Hours ago, police and DCI officers surrounded and barricaded Hon. Raphael Tuju’s home, refusing to let anyone leave until they had him,” Kalonzo said in a statement shared on social media.
He added that he personally drove Tuju to Karen Police Station to record a statement, describing the move as being in good faith and in line with due process.
“I personally drove him to Karen Police Station to record a statement in good faith, in the spirit of due process. What followed was unacceptable. Hon. Tuju was carried away in a manner that no Kenyan, indeed no human being, should ever experience,” he said.
By today afternoon, tension had escalated at Karen Police Station, where members of Tuju’s legal team raised alarm over his treatment.
“They want to abduct him. Mark that vehicle. The manner in which they took him was unacceptable,” Njiru was heard saying outside the station.
The incident comes just hours after Tuju resurfaced and claimed he had gone into hiding after suspecting he was being followed by unmarked vehicles.
Authorities had not issued an official statement on the circumstances of his detention by the time of publication.
Through prosecution counsel Nora Otieno, the DPP told the court that it was seeking to withdraw the charges under Section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code to allow for further review of the case.
“We have made a request to review the charges further,” the prosecution submitted, indicating that the application was intended to facilitate a re-evaluation of the matter.
The charges had been brought against Barclay Mogere Onyambu, Magdalene Koki Muthoka and John Nyiro Mwero, who were accused of failing to lodge the company’s financial statements with the Registrar of Companies as required under the Companies Act.
In the first count, all three were accused of failing to submit financial statements for the year 2024 by December 31, 2024. Muthoka faced two additional counts for allegedly failing to file returns for the years 2023 and 2022.
However, the application to withdraw the charges was opposed by defence counsel, who questioned both the timing and the legal basis of the prosecution’s move.
Senior Counsel James Orengo argued that while the prosecution has the power to withdraw charges, doing so under Section 87(a) would leave the accused persons exposed to future prosecution on the same facts.
“Yes, you can withdraw, but not under Section 87(a). The accused should not have charges hanging over their heads,” Orengo told the court, urging that the case be terminated in a manner that would bar re-prosecution.
Charles Kajama, who also appeared for the defence, opposed the application, arguing that the suspects had a right to be formally presented before the court.
“The accused persons have a right to be brought to court. The suspects outside in the parking lot have a right to be produced in court,” he said.
Kajama further criticised the prosecution for seeking to withdraw the charges without providing sufficient explanation and urged the court to consider releasing the suspects under Section 202 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino also weighed in on the matter, criticising the prosecution’s handling of the case so far.
“If the state is bringing a charge then wants to withdraw the charge, then we need to change the DPP since there is no work they are doing in the office other than misuse of public resources,” he said.
He further alleged that the arrests of the accused was conducted in a dramatic, “like a movie” way, in the presence of family members and media.
Makueni County’s maternal health model has been commended as a leading example in reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths at the International Maternal and Newborn Conference in Nairobi.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. , who delivered a keynote speech during the conference, said the county’s progress is driven by deliberate policies, strong political commitment, and community-based interventions focused on maternity and family units.
He highlighted the county’s emphasis on male involvement and strong family support systems as key to improving maternal health outcomes.
The governor noted that postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) remains a major cause of maternal deaths in many regions, largely due to gaps in access to quality care. “Each death is a family permanently altered. This is not just a health issue—it is a leadership failure,” he said.
He called for practical reforms, including wider access to essential medicines, clear public health communication, and targeted action on key risk factors such as anaemia, poor nutrition, and pregnancy-related hypertension.
Makueni County was recognised for achieving zero deaths from PPH in 2023 and 2024, demonstrating the impact of its focused interventions.
The county is now expanding efforts to address other causes of maternal mortality, including hypertensive disorders, while strengthening antenatal and postnatal care services.
(Reuters) – President Donald Trump backed down on targeting Iran’s power network on Monday, saying the U.S. and Iran have held constructive talks and that he would postpone any strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure.
Trump’s statement came after Iran threatened to attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying U.S. bases across the Gulf region if the U.S. targets Iran’s power network.
Conversations with Iran will continue throughout the week, Trump said in a social media post.
The dollar plunged and stocks surged following Trump’s post.
The United States and Iran “have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”
On Saturday, Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Tehran failed to “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours. Trump set a deadline of around 7:44 p.m. EDT (2344 GMT) on Monday.
Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait, which carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.
More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28, which has upended markets, driven up fuel costs, fuelled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western alliance.
The County Government of Bomet, through the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, in partnership with the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), has officially launched the African Agriculture Adaptation Atlas (AAAA) knowledge products.
The initiative marks a key step in strengthening climate-resilient agricultural planning and evidence-based decision making.
The AAAA provides geospatial tools to help counties address climate risks, boost productivity, and enhance resilience across value chains.
The launch brought together Chief Officer for Agriculture Dr. Kibet Sitienei, CDA Korir, and technical officers and ICT officer to operationalize the platform.
County officials noted the tools are already supporting decision making, budgeting, CIDP alignment, performance reviews, staff capacity, farmer outreach, climate risk assessment, and investment planning.
The workshop demonstrated practical applications, reviewed datasets, and developed a county action plan to ensure continued use, improved data management, and stronger coordination.
The Sustainable Agriculture Foundation pledged continued technical support to keep the platform updated and relevant.
The launch positions Bomet County as a leader in data driven, climate smart agriculture for improved livelihoods and sustainable development.
