Martha Karua blasts President Ruto over Nairobi Hospital tussle

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March 18, 2026

People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has criticised President William Ruto’s stance regarding the controversy surrounding The Nairobi Hospital, questioning why a leader of his stature has resorted to hurling insults instead of being the voice of reason.

While addressing Mt. Elgon residents in Bungoma County on Tuesday, President Ruto vowed to protect the Nairobi Hospital from ‘conmen’ allegedly involved in corruption. Since 2023, President Ruto has served as the patron of the Kenya Hospital Association (KHA), the body that runs The Nairobi Hospital.

In a rebuttal, Karua noted that the Head of State should prioritise addressing governance challenges in his administration.

“Pray which of our laws gives you power to interfere with the running of a private institution? Why don’t you first address the serious governance challenges in your government, namely, corruption, theft of public funds such as the withdrawal of Ksh.1.3 trillion from eCitizen, land grabbing, to name but a few?” Karua posed in a post on X.

“A leader who results to insults instead of reasoning demeans the office they hold. Do let your PhD reflect in your actions and utterances.”

Her remarks followed a public debate that arose following President Ruto’s vehement remarks regarding the melee surrounding the Nairobi Hospital.

“Senior doctors, senior professionals from Nairobi Hospitals approached me to save Nairobi Hospital from conmen, fraudsters and charlatans who wanted to expropriate it. Nairobi Hospital is a premier medical institution that serves the region. There is no way I am going to allow Nairobi Hospital to be taken hostage by fraudsters,” Ruto stated.

“I have instructed with clarity that all those who are involved in fraudulent activities in Nairobi Hospital will be removed, taken to court, charged and Nairobi Hospital is going to serve the people of Kenya.”

The development comes after doctors linked to the management of Kenya Hospital Association Limited were arrested and later presented in court to face criminal charges.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the doctors were charged with an alleged conflict of interest, unlawful receipt of benefits and failure to comply with financial reporting requirements.

The arrest prompted Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to explain that the hospital is registered as a company limited by guarantee, meaning it is member-owned and has no shareholders.

Petition filed challenging Francis Atwoli’s re-election as COTU Secretary-General

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March 18, 2026

A petition has been filed before the Employment and Labour Relations Court challenging the conduct and outcome of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU-K) elections held on March 14, 2026, at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu.

The petitioner, Fazul Mahamed, together with the Institute for Democratic Governance, is contesting the legality of the polls in which Francis Atwoli, the 1st interested party, was reportedly elected unopposed to a sixth term as Secretary General. They argue that the elections were conducted prematurely and in violation of the law, as well as the official electoral timelines issued by the Registrar of Trade Unions.

According to court documents, the petitioner contends that the COTU-K elections were held before affiliate trade unions had completed their branch and national elections, a prerequisite step in the statutory electoral cycle.

The process, they argue, is sequential and begins at the branch level before culminating in national and umbrella body elections. Conducting COTU polls before this process is complete, they claim, undermines the democratic foundation of trade union governance.

The petition further alleges multiple irregularities, including failure to update membership registers, lack of notice for elective positions, absence of independent electoral bodies, and failure to publish a voters’ register. It also questions the legitimacy of the delegates who participated in the voting process.

The applicants are now seeking conservatory orders to bar the Registrar of Trade Unions from registering or gazetting the purportedly elected officials, and to restrain those declared winners, including Atwoli, from assuming office pending the hearing and determination of the case.

When the matter came up before Jacob Gakeri on March 17, 2026, the court certified the application as urgent and directed that it be served on the respondents within four days. The case is scheduled for inter partes hearing on March 24, 2026.

The petitioners argue that unless the court intervenes, the move risks disenfranchising union members and eroding transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in trade union elections.

Raphael Tuju has not paid Ksh.1.9bn debt despite court rulings -EADB say

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March 18, 2026

The East African Development Bank (EADB) has set the record straight on the loan dispute with embattled former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju.

In a statement on Tuesday, EADB intimated that Tuju has not honoured any court ruling demanding that he pay a Ksh.1.9 debt to the bank.

Tuju, under Dari Limited, borrowed USD 9,197,084 (Ksh.1.2 billion) in 2015. As security for the loan, Dari Limited pledged various properties in Nairobi which were subsequently charged to the Bank.

The loan was drawn on July 29, 2015, but was defaulted in the second quarter of 2016, prompting the EADB to issue demand notices to Dari Limited in November 2017 which were ignored.

Following the default, EADB filed proceedings in the High Court of Justice in England, United Kingdom, which ruled in 2019 that a sum of USD 15,162,320 (Ksh.1.9 billion) be paid, being the principal sum, interests, and penalties which continued to accrue in line with the facility agreement.

EADB clarified that both parties had legal representation in the England court.

The High Court in Nairobi later recognized and confirmed the U.K court judgment on February 13, 2020, and later by the Court of Appeal in Nairobi on 20 April 2023.

“At no point, over the course of this seven-year-long dispute, has the EADB received any credible or verifiable repayment offer from the debtors as have been alleged,” EADB stated.

Consequently, under the terms of the charge, EADB successfully auctioned the Ngong Road property that had been pledged by Dari Limited as security on October 1, 2024.

After the auction, however, Dari Limited sued EADB and service providers, challenging the valuation of the property among other things.

Dari was granted an interim injunction order, which could only relate to pledged property that had not yet been sold. The High Court, on March 9, 2026, struck out Tuju’s amended plaint and lifted interim court orders that had previously stopped the defendants from dealing with the contested properties.

The properties include Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctuary of LR No.11320/3, Off Tree Lane, Karen, and Tamarind Karen and Dari Business Park, off Ngong, Karen of LR No. 1055/165.

The ex-CS has argued that the amount owed to EADB is far below the value of Dari Business Park, which has since been auctioned. He argues he has always been willing to pay the debt, but questions the process that led to the takeover, claiming it has been politicised.

Tuju, has since written to Chief Justice Martha Koome, complaining about the conduct of some judicial officers and their integrity, while questioning the process to grant auctioneers leeway to auction his property in Karen to proceed.

Juja MP Koimburi wants MPs to speak mother tongue in House debates

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March 18, 2026

Juja MP George Koimburi has said he plans to table a motion to allow Members of Parliament to debate in their mother tongues, arguing it would promote inclusivity and cultural pride in the House.

Koimburi spoke after the release of 22 members of the Mihiriga Kenda Muiyuru group who had been held for three days at Kibii Police Station in Juja.

The members had been accused of engaging in illegal activities, including female genital mutilation (FGM), but the claims were not substantiated, and they were released on free bond without being produced in court.

The MP criticised the arrests, saying the group’s rights to worship and practise culture had been violated.

He said the group is legally registered and should not be harassed for observing Agikuyu traditions.

Koimburi said he will pursue the proposed parliamentary changes as part of a broader push for cultural recognition in Parliament

Sporting complete miracle comeback to end Bodo/Glimt’s UCL dream

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March 18, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

Sporting produced a stunning turnaround to eliminate Bodo/Glimt from the UEFA Champions League, overturning a three-goal deficit to win in extra time and reach the quarter-finals.

Bodo/Glimt had looked set to continue their fairytale run after a commanding 3-0 first-leg victory, but were ultimately undone in Portugal as Sporting mounted a relentless fightback.

Sporting spark comeback after first-leg setback

The hosts dominated the encounter from kick-off early and found a deserved breakthrough when Goncalo Inacio headed home to ignite hopes of a comeback.

Despite spending much of the first half under pressure, Bodo/Glimt nearly struck through Odin Bjortuft, whose header rattled the woodwork.

Sporting intensified their push after the break, with Pedro Goncalves finishing from close range after good work by Luis Suarez to reduce the aggregate deficit.

Extra-time seals dramatic turnaround

The Portuguese side levelled the tie when Suarez converted from the penalty spot after a VAR review penalised Fredrik Bjorkan for handball.

Sporting continued to press for a winner in normal time, with Nuno Santos striking the post from distance.

The decisive moment arrived early in extra time as Maxi Araujo fired Sporting ahead on aggregate, before Rafael Nel sealed the comeback with a late goal.

End of the road for Bodo/Glimt

Bodo/Glimt bow out after a historic campaign that saw them become the first Norwegian side to reach the Champions League knockout stage on debut, including a notable victory over Inter Milan in the play-offs.

However, Sporting’s resilience ultimately proved decisive, bringing an end to one of the competition’s most remarkable underdog stories this season.

Arsenal Cruise into Champions League Quarter Final After 3-1 Win Over Bayer Leverkusen

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March 18, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

Arsenal set up a Champions League quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon as superb goals from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice completed a 3-1 aggregate win over Bayer Leverkusen.

The Gunners needed a late Kai Havertz penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw from the first leg but produced a dominant display at the Emirates Stadium to continue their hunt for silverware on four fronts.

Eze broke the deadlock on the night in the first half when he controlled a Leandro Trossard pass and rifled home a sensational finish from outside the box for his fourth goal in seven games.

Rice added the second in similarly eye-catching style after the hour mark, cutting out a Leverkusen clearance then driving towards the edge of the box and stroking an exquisite finish into the corner.

The visitors owed it to their goalkeeper that the margin of defeat was not greater. Janis Blaswich made a total of 10 saves as Arsenal laid siege to his goal for long periods, with Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard among those denied.

Ben White, starting only his second game since late January in place of the absent Jurrien Timber, also had a first-half effort saved at point-blank range following a goalmouth scramble.

The visitors were restricted to few chances but did go close on one occasion in the closing stages, when David Raya was forced into an acrobatic, one-handed save from Christian Kofane.

The victory pits Arsenal against Portuguese side Sporting, who overcame a three-goal first leg deficit to beat Bodo/Glimt 5-3 on aggregate earlier on Tuesday.

Mikel Arteta’s side now face Manchester City in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final on the back of two invaluable victories, with their latest following Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton in the Premier League as their hopes of silverware continue to grow.

Chelsea crashed out of the UEFA Champions League after losing 8-2 to PSG

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March 18, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

PARIS Saint-Germain extinguished Chelsea’s faint hopes with a ruthless 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, sealing an emphatic 8-2 aggregate win to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring early, capitalising on a defensive error to put the holders in command. Bradley Barcola then doubled the lead with a spectacular strike, effectively ending the tie as a contest before the half-hour mark.

Substitute Senny Mayulu added a third after the break, completing a comprehensive performance from Luis Enrique’s side. PSG will now face either Liverpool or Galatasaray in the last eight next month.

The victory keeps PSG’s dream of retaining the title alive and avenges their loss to Chelsea in last year’s Club World Cup final. “It is amazing. To score three goals away against Chelsea is good and the important thing is that we continue to play very well,” Kvaratskhelia told Canal Plus.

Chelsea, needing to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit, never truly believed in a comeback according to manager Liam Rosenior. “A tough night. We knew it was a tough ask and then we started the game in the manner that we did,” he said.

The Blues’ misery was compounded when defender Trevoh Chalobah was stretchered off late with a sprained ankle, forcing them to finish with 10 men. Attention now turns to their Premier League top-four battle after a damaging week of defeats.

PSG looked sharper from the outset, benefitting from a postponed weekend Ligue 1 fixture. Kvaratskhelia’s early goal, after outmuscling debutant Mamadou Sarr, set the tone. Barcola’s brilliant finish from an Achraf Hakimi assist soon followed.

Mayulu’s powerful strike after the hour mark was the final blow on a chastening evening for the hosts. The result marks PSG’s fourth two-legged knockout win against English opposition since the start of last year.

Real Madrid Eliminate Manchester City from Champions League

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March 18, 2026

Real Madrid have eliminated Manchester City from the Champions League after winning 5-1 over two legs.

Pep Guardiola’s men were facing an uphill task after a 3-0 defeat in the first leg and that was made almost impossible when Bernardo Silva was sent off for handball in the 20th minute.

Vinicius Jr, who had a penalty saved in the first leg, sent Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way to make it 4-0 on aggregate. Erling Haaland reduced the arrears before half-time but he and his team-mates were unable to make further inroads into the deficit.

Vinicius Jr scored deep in stoppage time — after seeing a goal disallowed moments before — to give Madrid a 2-1 win on the night,

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich look set to meet in the quarter-final.

BREAKING NEWS: Morocco declared as AFCON winners with final result overturned by CAF in historical ruling

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March 18, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

The result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final has been dramatically overturned, with Morocco now awarded a 3-0 victory over Senegal following a ruling by Confederation of African Football.

The decision comes 57 days after the final, which Senegal had originally won 1-0 after extra time.

CAF confirmed that its appeal board upheld a complaint from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.

The governing body ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match due to a breach of competition regulations.

The sanction means the final score has been officially recorded as a 3-0 win in favour of Morocco.

No additional sporting penalties were announced beyond the forfeiture.

The ruling centres on events that unfolded late in the match.

Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, which triggered protests from Senegal’s players.

The Senegal team briefly left the pitch during the delay, with only captain Sadio Mane remaining.

Play was halted for more than 15 minutes before the players returned.

Morocco’s Brahim Diaz subsequently missed the penalty after the restart.

Senegal then scored what appeared to be the winning goal through Pape Gueye deep into stoppage time.

However, CAF’s appeal board determined that Senegal’s walk-off constituted a violation of Article 82 of the AFCON regulations.

That rule states that a team forfeits a match if it leaves the field without the referee’s permission.

Under Article 84, the result of such a forfeiture is automatically recorded as a 3-0 defeat.

CAF confirmed that this regulation had been applied in full when reaching its decision.

The appeal board also dismissed all other requests related to the case.

The incident had already drawn strong criticism at the time.

Gianni Infantino described Senegal’s actions as “unacceptable” following the match.

The final was also marred by crowd disturbances during the prolonged delay.

Morocco’s federation maintained that its appeal was focused on enforcing the rules rather than challenging Senegal’s performance.

The outcome represents one of the most controversial rulings in recent AFCON history.

It also means Morocco are now officially recognised as champions of the 2025 tournament.

The decision reinforces CAF’s stance on adherence to regulations during matches.

For Senegal, it marks a bitter conclusion to a final they had originally believed they had won on the pitch.

Gikomba market traders reject new Gov’t relocation plan

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March 17, 2026

KENYA-ECONOMY-TRADE-CLOTHES — People walk around Gikomba Market, East Africa's biggest second-hand clothing market, on July 10, 2014 in Nairobi. Locally known as "Mitumba", second-hand clothes trade has developed from mainly international charitable donations to become a bustling business sector. AFP PHOTO/SIMON MAINA (Photo credit should read SIMON MAINA/AFP/Getty Images)

Tension erupted at Gikomba market after a section of traders blocked government officials over a new relocation boundary now set at 50 metres from the Nairobi River, up from the earlier 30.

The move is part of a plan to restore the Nairobi River and construct a new Gikomba market. But traders said they did not understand why the relocation area was expanded, even as the government insists all those near the river must move.

The traders said they had only agreed to relocate from 30 metres, but the decision to extend it to 50 metres sparked strong opposition.

“We were told 30 metres and we agreed. Where has this 50 come from?” stated Nikodemus Mabebe.

The main issue being the additional 20 metres, with traders fearing a possible land grab.

“50 metres means the entire market is gone. Where will we go?” Posed Milkah Zawadi.

The government, however, noted that the extra land will be used to construct a new market for those being relocated.

“Those opposing are cartels. We are being built a new market, whether they like it or not, we will move,” stated Mbugua Kibathi.

The county government insists that all traders within the 50-metre zone must vacate, adding that an alternative site has already been prepared near the market for temporary use as they await completion of the new market.

“All people living on riparian land must relocate to avoid floods. We have told them before, a report will be filed on Thursday,” stated Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.

Traders have now been given until the end of March to vacate before demolitions begin.

This comes even as demolitions continue in Grogon and Shauri Moyo following recent floods. The government continues to bring down structures built along river channels.

Sporting spark comeback after first-leg setback

Extra-time seals dramatic turnaround

End of the road for Bodo/Glimt

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