Thieves drink alter wine after stealing church electronics in Ndia, Kirinyaga County

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May 3, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

Residents of Ndia Constituency in Kirinyaga County have raised concerns over a spate of break-ins targeting churches in the area after thieves raided at least three churches in Riakiania and stole musical and sound equipment.

Church officials said the break-ins happened overnight, with items stolen including microphones, mixers, keyboards and pianos.

Peter Munene of Fountain of Life Church International, Riakiania, said the attackers gained entry through a window before accessing a strong room.

“They took away microphones, mixers and other equipment worth over Ksh200,000. They even drank a bottle of communion wine before leaving,” Munene said.

At St Joseph Riakiania Catholic Church, vice chairman Harrison Mbirui said the thieves entered through the main gate before breaking into the church.He said they stole microphones, mixers, a piano, PMC kits and other property valued at more than Ksh500,000.

“They took advantage of the ongoing rains when everyone was asleep,” Mbirui said.

ACK Riakiania Church was also hit, with Flosy Wambui Murimi saying electronics worth more than Ksh250,000 were stolen.

“We are wondering where they are taking church equipment. We have reported the matter to Baricho Police Station and officers have visited the church,” Wambui said.

Church leaders said the gang appears to be targeting only church equipment, raising fears over how services would proceed.“We don’t know what we will use tomorrow, Sunday. Maybe we will just clap our hands,” one church leader said.Munene said similar cases have been reported in the constituency, including in Kariti Ward about two months ago, prompting residents to call for swift action by security agencies.

President Donald Trump says US not likely to accept new Iran peace proposal

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May 3, 2026

FB_IMG_1777717298998 — US President Donald Trump speaks to the press outside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 13, 2026. Trump refused to apologize Monday for criticizing Pope Leo XIV, after the pontiff called for an end to violence in the Iran war. "There's nothing to apologize for. He's wrong," Trump told reporters, a day after a social media post and comments slamming the US-born pope. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

By Bonface Mulyungi

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he will review a new Iranian peace proposal, but cast doubt over its prospects as he left open the possibility of future attacks on Iran.

Negotiations between the two countries have been deadlocked since a ceasefire came into effect on April 8, with one round of peace talks to end the more than two-month war having failed in Pakistan.

The dour outlook came after Iran’s Tasnim and Fars news agencies reported Tehran submitted a 14-point proposal to mediator Islamabad. Details included ending the conflict on all fronts and enacting a new framework for the crucial Strait of Hormuz, Tasnim said.

“I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can’t imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

In a brief interview with reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, he declined to specify what could trigger new military action against the Islamic republic.”If they misbehave, if they do something bad, but right now, we’ll see,” he said. “But it’s a possibility that could happen, certainly.”

On Saturday, Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior figure in the Iranian military’s central command, said “a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely.””Evidence has shown that the United States is not committed to any promises or agreements,” he added, according to Fars news agency.

Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi told diplomats in Tehran “the ball is in the United States’ court to choose the path of diplomacy or the continuation of a confrontational approach.”Iran, he said, was “prepared for both paths.”

US news site Axios reported earlier in the week that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff had asked for Tehran’s nuclear program to be put back on the negotiating table.Iran’s mission to the UN pointed to the massive US nuclear arsenal, accusing Washington on Saturday of “hypocritical behavior” towards Iran’s own atomic ambitions.There was no legal “restriction on the level of uranium enrichment, so long as it is conducted under the IAEA’s supervision, as was the case with Iran,” it said, using the abbreviation for the UN nuclear watchdog.Iran has maintained a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, choking off major flows of oil, gas and fertilizer to the world economy, while the United States has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

Oil prices are about 50 percent above pre-war levels.The vice speaker of Iran’s parliament, Ali Nikzad, said that under draft legislation being considered for managing the waterway, 30 percent of tolls collected would go towards military infrastructure, with the rest earmarked for “economic development.”Managing the Strait of Hormuz is more important than acquiring nuclear weapons,” he said.

Fighting meanwhile continued Saturday in Lebanon, where Israel has carried out deadly strikes despite a separate truce with the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.

The Israeli military said it had struck dozens of Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon following evacuation warnings for nine villages.Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported three deaths in the attacks.

Hezbollah, for its part, claimed several attacks targeting Israeli troops.The Israeli strikes included one in the village of Yaroun on what its military called a “religious building,” which was damaged.

The French Catholic charity L’Oeuvre d’Orient said the troops had “destroyed” a convent belonging to the Salvatorian Sisters, a Greek-Catholic religious order with which the charity is affiliated.- Iran’s economic toll -In Washington, lawmakers were wrestling over whether Trump had breached a deadline to seek congressional approval for the war.

Administration officials argue the ceasefire paused a 60-day clock, after which congressional authorisation would be required — a claim disputed by opposition Democrats.

In Iran, the war’s economic toll is deepening, with oil exports crimped and inflation surging past 50 percent.”Everyone is trying to endure it, but… they are falling apart,” 40-year-old Amir, a Tehran resident, told an AFP reporter based outside the country.”We still have not seen much of the economic effects because everyone had a bit of savings. They had some gold and dollars for a rainy day. When they run out, things will change.”

‘Tiny’ Roman penis charm found at cricket club

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May 3, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

BBC -A “tiny” penis-shaped Roman artefact thought to have been intended to bring good fortune has been discovered by archeologists excavating land around a cricket club.

The bronze 1,800-year-old phallus was unearthed at Carlisle Cricket Club in Cumbria during a dig which started in 2017.

Historians believe the site to be home to an ancient bathhouse and have already found pottery shards, pillar fragments and various large stone heads.

Site director Frank Giecco said the Romans were “extremely superstitious” and the phallus was intended to be “a good luck charm”.”It’s our first little phallus, it’s tiny, it’s bout 3cm (1.2in), but beautifully made in bronze,” Giecco said.

He said such mementos would often have been attached to belts, carved into walls or worn as jewellery “to protect you”.During their yearly digs, volunteers for the team have found thousands of significant items including from the Bronze Age, the English Civil War and the Edwardian period, Giecco said.

He said: “It’s unusual we haven’t found a phallus shaped object on the site before, it’s so rich in other types of objects.”It’s a beautiful little object”

Giecco said the discovery “gives a fantastic insight into the minds of people who lived in Carlisle 1,800 years ago”.He added “All of us give up huge amounts of time for this project to make it work.”The joy of pulling a bit of pot out of the ground that hasn’t been touched for years is incredible.”New items from the dig have been displayed at the Tullie Museum and Gallery.

United or Cracked opposition? PLP party leader Martha Karua misses crucial meeting signaling internal rift in opposition camp

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May 3, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

Fresh political signals from within the United Opposition are exposing simmering differences even as leaders continue to publicly project unity ahead of the 2027 General Election.

People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua was conspicuously absent in yet another meeting of the opposition leaders on Thursday that was attended by Rigathi Gachagua (DCP), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Fred Matiang’i (Jubilee) and Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K).

While no official reason was given for her absence, it comes against the backdrop of increasingly pointed remarks that suggest unresolved tensions over leadership, strategy and regional influence within the coalition.

During a recent tour in Karatina, Karua warned against replacing the current administration with “the same failure wearing a different face,”

The statement was widely interpreted in political circles as a veiled critique of Gachagua who was part of the Ruto administration.

In a recent radio interview, Karua dismissed Gachagua’s claims to regional dominance, stating that he is “not the Mt Kenya kingpin” and describing him as “just a party leader like me or Uhuru Kenyatta.” Mt Kenya people had already left the government while he was still deputy president. He found us here,” she said.

At the same time, Gachagua and Kalonzo have alleged external interference in the coalition’s affairs, claiming there are moles in the camp.

Speaking at Tononoka Grounds last week, the two leaders claimed that Ruto had planted “moles” within the opposition to sow discord and weaken its unity ahead of 2027.

The claims, though unsubstantiated, reflect growing suspicion within the alliance and point to internal cohesion as a key challenge going forward.Further evidence of unease has come from within the opposition ranks.

Jubilee deputy party leader Jeremiah Kioni has openly criticised the coalition’s approach, warning that leaders are prioritising their individual political bases rather than building a unified national front.

“The challenge facing a united opposition is that leaders are focusing on their individual bases rather than touring the country together in unity,” Kioni said in a podcast, pointing to separate mobilisation efforts by different factions.

He contrasted the United Opposition approach to that of Linda Mwananchi camp led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

Sifuna said the camps’s national approach by holding meetings across the country has generated significant public excitement, an indication, he argued, that the opposition needs to rethink its strategy.

“Edwin Sifuna has been out with his team for two months and you can see how he has excited Kenyans. Then you can tell that something needs to be done different within the United Opposition. It’s going to be easy to walk from the United Opposition and think they will just support you,” Kioni said.

The simmering differences reflect the challenge in the camp in balancing the ambitions of the principals, each with distinct political bases and aspirations, while maintaining a cohesive alliance capable of mounting a credible challenge to Ruto.

National Assembly Majority leader and Ruto ally Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) has also said the opposition is fragmented.

“The opposition is so disunited. One faction is calling itself Alternative Nothing… I have seen another one moving around by herself. I hear the Jubilee team is also working to move on their own,” Ichung’wah said on the floor of the House.

Despite the internal differences, however, opposition leaders have continued to appear together at select public events, emphasising a shared objective of unseating the Kenya Kwanza administration.The main issue triggering the friction is the unresolved question is who leads the camp as the presidential candidate, and on what terms.

While Gachagua has maintained the decision on who becomes the flagbearer should be determined by the votes they bring to the table, Jubilee has argued for a scientific method.

The latest opinion polls by Infotrak show Matiang’i leading in the camp with 13 per cent as the preferred presidential candidate, followed by Kalonzo at 12 per cent, Gachagua five per cent and Karua two per cent.

Governor Orengo condemns chaos at burial of MP Nyikal’s father in Kisumu, blames ‘hired goons’

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May 3, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

Siaya Governor James Orengo has condemned the disruption of a funeral in Seme, saying no amount of intimidation or “hired chaos” will silence the Linda Mwananchi movement.

In a statement issued after the drama, Orengo said he had gone to Ridore Primary School to pay his last respects to Eliud Nyikal Okaka, the father of Seme MP James Nyikal, when the service was interrupted.

“It is both shameful and a national disgrace that a solemn send off could be disrupted… (with) goons,” Orengo said.He claimed the situation became so tense that clergy were forced to cut the service short and call for an immediate burial without speeches “to preserve order and dignity.”“No amount of intimidation, no teargas, no hired chaos, and no acts of desperation will silence the Linda Mwananchi Movement,” he added.

Orengo’s remarks come a day after chaos erupted at the burial, with a section of mourners demanding that he leaves the venue before proceedings could continue.

Witnesses said the mood turned hostile as speeches went on, with some youths moving towards the front row occupied by MPs, governors, senators and other leaders, chanting for Orengo to exit.

The governor, who is a leading figure in the linda mwananci faction of the ODM party, was forced to leave the venue before normalcy was restored after clergy intervened.“Why can’t we just mourn in peace… must we come surrounded by large crowds,” Nyikal lamented.

After Orengo’s departure, speeches continued, with ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga reiterating that ODM is firmly in the broad-based government and accusing the rival camp of seeking to split the party.“ODM is in the broad-based government… ODM will form the next government in 2027 or will be part of the coalition that forms the next government,” Wanga said.

Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko urged unity, saying the party must remain strong, while Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga called for dialogue between the two sides.

“We must face the reality we cannot continue with these two groups… come intervene and let the two groups sit down together,” she said.

Mtetezi Rights Group Raises Alarm Over Proposed Fuel Policy Shift

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May 2, 2026

By Andrew Kariuki

Francis Awino, convener of mtetezi rights group, has raised concerns over a proposed shift in Kenya’s fuel policy that could allow the importation of higher-sulphur fuel, warning that the move poses risks to public health and regulatory integrity.

In a press statement dated May 3, 2026, Mtetezi, the Grassroots Economic Justice Movement, expressed “serious alarm” over reports that the government is considering relaxing fuel quality standards to address potential shortages, noting that the move raises “urgent concerns about public safety, regulatory integrity, and ministerial accountability.”

Awino said the proposed policy direction contradicts recent government actions, recalling that between March 20 and 25, 2026, a fuel consignment was rejected after being found “substandard due to high sulphur content.”

That decision led to the dismissal of senior officials across key institutions, including the Ministry of Energy, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).

Mtetezi questioned the apparent reversal, arguing that “barely three weeks later, the same government is now considering allowing fuel of similar substandard characteristics into the Kenyan market,” describing the shift as “not only confusing; it is unacceptable, illegal and demands immediate explanation.”

The organisation further pointed to earlier assurances made to Parliament that fuel supply under the Government-to-Government framework was sufficient and that quality standards remained stable, now asking what has changed to justify the reconsideration of previously rejected fuel.

Among its key concerns, the group is seeking clarity on whether the earlier fuel crisis was genuine or “a manufactured one based on manipulated data,” and whether Parliament and the public may have been misled.

Mtetezi has called on Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui to provide answers within 72 hours, warning that failure to do so could lead to public demonstrations.

The group warned that Kenya risks “a dangerous reversal,” adding that the situation points to “a policy contradiction and grand corruption, with serious consequences for public health, consumer costs and institutional credibility.”

Family in Ruai seeks justice after daughter dies following alleged assault at Mombasa Road club

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May 2, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

A family in Ruai is crying out for justice after their 23-year-old daughter, Mercy Wanjiru Kimani, was brutalised at a lounge along Mombasa Road and later succumbed to her injuries at Thika Level 4 Hospital.

According to the family, Mercy received a phone call while with her mother after a church service, inviting her to attend a friend’s birthday at Tunnel Lounge along Mombasa Road.

The following day, she was found unconscious about three kilometres from the club where the birthday party had taken place, with a deep cut on the head and lower abdomen.

Both her arms were also broken.She was first taken to a dispensary in Mukuru and later transferred to Thika Level 4 Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.

CCTV footage reportedly shows Mercy enjoying time with her friends at the club before one of them is seen leaving and boarding an Uber, leaving her behind.She is later seen trying to convince a boda boda rider to take her home, but they failed to agree on the fare.

The rider is then seen picking up another customer, leaving Mercy behind.

The family is now calling on the government, especially the police, to conduct thorough investigations to establish what led to their daughter’s death.

Thirteen killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, health ministry says

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May 2, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

At least 13 people, including four women and a child, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese health ministry said.

Two women and a child were among eight killed in Haboush in Nabatieh district, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had issued an evacuation order.

Four people, including two other women, were killed in Zrarieh in Sidon district, while another person was killed in Ain Baal in Tyre district.

In total, 32 people were injured.Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has continued despite an ongoing three-week ceasefire extension.

On Saturday, the Iran-backed group Hezbollah said it had targeted Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in Lebanon.

The Israeli military said one of its soldiers was killed during combat in southern Lebanon on Thursday, bringing the number of Israeli troop deaths since early March to 17.

An initial 10-day pause in hostilities had been announced on 16 April following ambassador talks in Washington between Israel and Lebanon.The two countries have no diplomatic relations and the first meeting in Washington was the first high-level set of talks between them since 1993.

A three-week extension to the ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump on 23 April, who said the second meeting between the two countries “went very well” and the US would be working with Lebanon “to help it protect itself from Hezbollah”.

The Iran-backed group was not involved in the ceasefire agreement but had indicated it would abide by its terms if it was also respected by Israel.

While the truce largely halted strikes on the capital city Beirut and its southern suburbs, fighting has persisted elsewhere in the south, with continued air raids and repeated evacuation orders.

On 30 April, the US embassy in Beirut suggested a meeting between Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would give Lebanon “the chance to secure concrete guarantees on full sovereignty, territorial integrity, secure borders, humanitarian and reconstruction support, and the complete restoration of Lebanese state authority over every inch of its territory”.

The post on X added that this would be “guaranteed by the US”.The Lebanese president met with the US ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa on Friday, where Issa affirmed that the US continued support to Lebanon.Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire ending a previous conflict in November 2024, after which Israel carried out near-daily attacks on targets and people it said were linked to Hezbollah.

After the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February and killed Iran’s supreme leader, Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into Israel in retaliation on 2 March.

In response, Israel bombarded Lebanon with air strikes. Israeli forces re-entered southern Lebanon in early March, where they have destroyed villages and remained occupying 10km (6.2 miles) of Lebanese territory.

Since early March, 2,586 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 103 health care workers and emergency responders, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

It does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.Along with 17 Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon, two civilians have been killed by Hezbollah attacks in Israel.

On Saturday morning, the IDF said it had undertaken “around 50 strikes in the last day” on southern Lebanon.

It says the targets struck included headquarters from where Hezbollah operated, along with buildings used for military purposes.

A previous update said the IDF intercepted two “aerial targets” before they managed to cross into Israeli territory.

KeNHA issues traffic advisory after landslide blocked Iten–Kabarnet road

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May 2, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a traffic advisory after a landslide blocked a section of the Iten–Kabarnet road near Kolol following heavy rainfall.

The authority on Saturday said the affected section remains impassable, disrupting movement along the key route.Motorists yet to begin their journeys have been advised to seek alternative routes such as the Iten – Eldoret – Eldama Ravine – Kabarnet to avoid delays.“The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) wishes to notify motorists and the public that, due to ongoing heavy rainfall across the country, a landslide has occurred along the Iten – Kabarnet Road near Kolol, blocking the affected section,” stated KeNHA DG Luka Kimeli stated.

KeNHA noted that restoration efforts are already underway, with teams on site working to clear the debris and restore traffic flow.“Restoration efforts are currently underway, and the Authority is working to reinstate normal traffic flow as soon as possible,” stated Kimeli.

At the same time, road users have been urged to exercise caution and follow directions from authorities on the ground.“Motorists are, therefore, advised to exercise caution and strictly adhere to instructions issued by police officers and traffic marshals on site to ensure their safety,” the Authority stated.“KeNHA is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as necessary.”

US to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany

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May 2, 2026

By Bonface Mulyungi

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany within the next year, the Pentagon said on Friday, in the latest rift in transatlantic ties over the Mideast war.

The move came as US President Donald Trump announced that tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union will increase to 25 percent next week, accusing the bloc of not complying with a trade deal inked last summer.

Trump has renewed criticism of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Monday that Iran was “humiliating” Washington at the negotiating table.

Trump said Merz “thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” On Wednesday, the American leader said Washington was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction” of US troops in Germany, and that he would decide in a “short period of time.” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a Friday statement that “We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months.” “This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground,” Parnell added.

During both of his terms in office, Trump has made a number of threats to slash US troop numbers in Germany and other European allies, saying he wants Europe to take on greater responsibility for its defense rather than depending on Washington.

Trump on Friday accused German automakers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW of ripping off Americans, saying that Germany and “other European nations have not adhered to our trade deal.”Germany would likely be hit hard by a sharp vehicle tariff, as it is responsible for a significant portion of EU auto exports.- ‘Why shouldn’t I?’ -Trump now appears determined to punish allies who have failed to back the war or contribute to a peacekeeping force in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, which Tehran’s forces have effectively closed.

On Thursday, Trump said he may pull US troops from Italy and Spain due to their opposition to the war, telling reporters in the Oval Office: “Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.” “Yeah, probably, I probably will. Why shouldn’t I?” Trump said.

As of December 31, 2025, there were 12,662 active-duty US troops in Italy and 3,814 in Spain. In Germany, there were 36,436. Speaking during a visit to Morocco, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Thursday that Germany was “prepared” for a reduction in US troops and was “discussing it closely and in a spirit of trust in all NATO bodies.” While saying he was “relaxed” about the idea of fewer US troops in Germany, Wadephul said that large American bases in Germany are “not up for discussion at all.” He said for example that the Ramstein Air Base had “an irreplaceable function for the United States and for us alike.”

– Ukraine support –

The EU said Thursday that the deployment of US troops in Europe was in Washington’s interest, and that the United States was “a vital partner in contributing to Europe’s security and defense.” Trump meanwhile took aim at Merz again, telling him to focus on ending the Ukraine war instead of “interfering” on Iran.

European powers have been on alert since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and a spate of drone incursions in the last year — as well as US promises to move away from defending the continent — have pushed the issue to the top of the agenda.

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