President William Ruto on Wednesday, October 15, assented to eight Bills passed by the National Assembly into law at a ceremony at State House, Nairobi.

The newly signed laws include key amendments to the National Land Commission Act, Land Act, Wildlife Conservation Act, Cybercrimes Act,and the National Police Service Commission Act. 

Also signed were the Air Passenger Service Charge Bill, Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, and the Privatisation Bill, all of which now officially form part of the Statutes of the Republic of Kenya.

According to a statement by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the passage of these laws reflects the government’s commitment to fairness, modernisation, and inclusive progress.

“These transformative laws are designed to address historical injustices, enhance transparency and accountability, and accelerate digital and economic reforms, reinforcing the Government’s commitment to a just, modern, and prosperous Kenya in line with the national transformation agenda,” the statement read.

This comes months after Ruto signed into law the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2025, and the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, paving the way for the disbursement of a record Ksh415 billion to all 47 county governments in the new financial year.

In an update on Wednesday, August 13, Ruto said the new development represents an increase of nearly Ksh30 billion from last year’s allocation of Ksh387.4 billion.

“We have increased the equitable share of revenue to Ksh415 billion among our 47 Counties, representing a rise of almost Ksh30 billion from the previous financial year’s Ksh387.4 billion.

“The significant increase in the funds underpins our commitment to mobilising more resources to support devolution and boost service delivery to the people at the grassroots,” he said.

For the 2025/26 financial year, the Bill allocates a total of Ksh415 billion to county governments, representing 21.6% of the audited national revenue for the 2021/22 financial year.

The distribution of the funds is guided by the Fourth Basis Formula for Revenue Sharing; this formula considers factors such as population size, land area, poverty levels, and development needs to ensure fairness and address regional disparities. 

For instance, Nairobi County receives the largest share at Ksh21.4 billion, followed by Nakuru County (Ksh14.4 billion), Turkana County (Ksh13.89 billion), Kakamega County (Ksh13.6 billion), and Kiambu County (Ksh13.07 billion), while Lamu County receives the smallest allocation at Ksh3.85 billion.

The Bill established a clear legal and financial framework to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of these funds.

It mandates that all transfers be recorded in county treasuries’ financial statements and deposited into County Revenue Funds according to a Senate-approved payment schedule.

Additionally, the Bill allows for supplementary allocations from national revenue, as well as loans and grants from development partners.

Initially, the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) proposed a slightly higher figure of Ksh417.4 billion, but a mediated agreement settled on Ksh415 billion.

Former television presenter Kimani Mbugua has passed away at the age of 29.

He reportedly died on the night of Tuesday, October 14, 2025, though the cause of death has not yet been made public.

Sources close to the family indicate that Mbugua had been struggling with mental health challenges and had spent time in and out of rehabilitation centres over the past few years.

Kimani, who rose to fame after joining the Nation Media Group at just 19 years old, worked as a presenter on Nation FM and NTV before later moving to Citizen TV, where he continued his career in broadcasting.

Earlier this year, on March 31, former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko facilitated Mbugua’s admission to a rehabilitation centre, the second time the journalist had undergone treatment.

This intervention came after reports surfaced that Mbugua had relapsed and was seen wandering the streets of Thika Town.

At the time, Mbugua had released a distressing video pleading for help, which prompted Sonko’s response.

“Following reports that Kimani Mbugua has relapsed and gone back to the streets, today I dispatched a team to locate him.

He was found in Makongeni estate, Thika, Kiambu County,” Sonko wrote in a statement on March 31.

Kimani’s untimely death has sparked an outpouring of grief online, with many Kenyans mourning a once promising media talent whose struggles with mental health were well documented.

Mama Ida Odinga, wife to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has broken her silence following the death of her husband on Wednesday, October 15.

In a brief but poignant message delivered at their Karen home on Wednesday afternoon, Ida acknowledged the shock and grief that has engulfed the nation following the sudden passing of the ODM leader.

Speaking to a gathering of Raila’s supporters, family members, close friends, and well-wishers who had converged at their residence, Mama Ida expressed her condolences to Kenyans grappling with the devastating news.

“I am so sorry. I know you are all shocked. We did not expect that it would happen this way, but it has happened. Be calm,” she said, her voice steady despite the evident pain.

The brief statement reflected both her strength and her understanding of the magnitude of the loss, not just to her family, but to the entire nation that had looked up to her husband as a champion of democracy.

Raila Odinga passed away at the age of 80 on Wednesday morning after experiencing cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic treatment facility in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, India.

He collapsed and was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Koothattukulam, where medical personnel pronounced him dead at 7:22 am. His remains are currently being held at the hospital.

The news of his death sent shockwaves across Kenya and the African continent, with tributes pouring in from political leaders, civil society, and ordinary citizens who had been touched by his decades-long struggle for democracy and social justice.

Since the news broke, the Odinga family home in Karen has become a pilgrimage site for mourners seeking to pay their respects to the fallen icon.

Leaders from across the political divide have been streaming in to console Mama Ida and the family, including the couple’s children Rosemary, Raila Junior, and Winnie.

Among those who have sent messages of condolence are former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who described Raila as “more than an enigma” and “a force of nature.”

Kalonzo, who is currently in the United Kingdom, announced he would be rearranging his schedule to honor his fallen brother and political partner.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta also paid tribute to Raila, describing him as a towering statesman and personal friend whose passing had left “a silence that echoes across our nation, a silence where once there was a voice of thunder and conviction.”

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua joined in mourning, calling Raila “the enigma Baba, the father of our democracy and a formidable hero of Kenya’s 2nd liberation,” acknowledging his sacrifices including torture, imprisonment, and detention in the fight for Kenya’s freedom.

At the age of 80, Raila Amollo Odinga, the enigma of Kenyan politics, has joined the list of Kenya’s most senior politicians who have died while receiving medical care outside the country.

Following a cardiac arrest, Raila Odinga was pronounced dead on 15 October 2025 at Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, Kerala, India.

For a politician in the league of Raila Odinga, whose latest attempt to become the AU Chair was thwarted by Africa’s Francophone influence, his death in a foreign country raises concern, given that he fought for a better healthcare system in Kenya for the better part of his political life.

As prime minister under the Grand Coalition Government, he championed reforms in the Ministry of Health that later laid the groundwork for Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pilot programmes.

In various political campaigns, including the 2022 and 2027 elections, he consistently promoted healthcare as a key pillar, calling for free maternal care, NHIF reforms, and upgraded public hospitals.

According to reports, Raila Odinga died from cardiac arrest, medically described as a sudden and severe emergency in which the heart stops beating effectively, preventing blood from flowing to the brain, lungs, and other vital organs.

Apart from the fact that many Kenyan politicians seek medical attention overseas because they can afford the high cost of international healthcare, the late Raila Amollo Odinga, in 2009, made a critical observation about what may be ailing Kenya’s healthcare system to the extent that Kenyans are forced to travel abroad for services that properly trained local healthcare workers can competently provide, without one purchasing an air ticket to India, London, or other countries boasting advanced medical systems.

According to Raila Amollo Odinga, Kenyan leadership must work towards stopping what he referred to as “brain drain,” which poses a threat to Kenya’s healthcare system.

“The government spends a lot of money to train just one doctor. Yet those doctors leave almost immediately for greener pastures abroad, leaving us exposed. It is a trend we must reverse,” Raila lamented at the time when he was serving as the prime minister, under the coalition government.

Vindicating Raila Odinga’s observation, a report by Health Business notes there are close to 4,000 Kenyan doctors abroad, about 2,733 in the UK, 865 in the US, and 180 in Canada.

Another source, EQUINET, claims that of around 7,830 certified medical doctors in Kenya, many are working abroad, mainly due to better pay, professional growth, and superior healthcare systems. In Kenya, nepotism can prevent qualified doctors from being employed or supported to advance professionally.

Kenya’s healthcare system, though improving, still lacks advanced facilities for managing complex conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and organ failure.

While some Kenyan leaders prefer receiving treatment abroad to avoid public scrutiny or to conceal the severity of their illnesses from the media and rivals, Raila Odinga was never a fan of medical tourism. He only travelled to Dubai in 2020 for a minor back surgery at a German-run facility.

In death, Raila Odinga joins the ranks of former Vice President Michael Kijana Wamalwa, who died at London’s Royal Free Hospital while receiving treatment in 2003, and Kenya’s Third First Lady, Mama Lucy Kibaki, who passed away on 26 April 2016 at Bupa Cromwell Hospital in London.

As the country comes to terms with the loss of one of Africa’s most respected champions of democracy and good governance, perhaps it is also time to reflect on the need to safeguard Africa’s best minds, especially in the healthcare sector, where the lives of both the rich and the poor should hold equal value.