The National Police Service (NPS) foiled a suspected terror plot in Nairobi following an extensive intelligence-led operation targeting individuals believed to have links with the Somalia-based militia Al-Shabaab.
According to NPS, the operation was the culmination of months of surveillance, intelligence analysis and multi-agency coordination that focused on dismantling a network suspected of planning an attack within Nairobi.
Officers raided a suspected safe house in Nairobi, where they recovered five AK-47 rifles, 20 magazines loaded with 600 rounds of ammunition, six hand grenades and a Makarov pistol with 24 rounds.
Authorities also seized medical supplies and other logistical materials believed to have been assembled in preparation for an operation.
Investigators believe the cache of weapons and supplies points to potential plans by Al Shabaab to stage an attack in Nairobi.
“The National Police Service, through specialised units such as the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the Special Operations Group, alongside other security formations, continues to maintain heightened vigilance across the city and indeed throughout the country,” the NPS stated in a post on X.
“It is monitoring potential threats and responding swiftly to safeguard the public, critical infrastructure, and public spaces.”
An airport in Florida will soon be renamed after US President Donald Trump, after a bill proposing the change was approved by the state’s legislature on Thursday.
Trump, a real estate mogul who has plastered his name on buildings around the world, has sought to leave his mark on the country in an unprecedented image and building campaign.
Florida’s Republican-led legislature approved a bill to rename the Palm Beach International Airport as the “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” state records show. Governor Ron DeSantis, once a Trump opponent, is expected to sign the measure into law.
The airport in Palm Beach, a town known for its sandy beaches and luxurious estates, is just minutes away from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
The airport renaming will also require the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration.
It would then become the latest institution to be renamed after Trump.
The president’s handpicked board of the Kennedy Center, an arts complex and memorial to late president John F. Kennedy in Washington, voted in December to rename itself the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”
The same month, the State Department added Trump’s name to the US Institute of Peace.
Trump has also sought to rename New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport after himself, according to US media reports, although those efforts were rebuffed.
The Treasury Department has confirmed reports that drafts have been drawn up for a commemorative $1 coin featuring Trump’s image, even though there are laws against displaying the image of a sitting or living president on money.
On Thursday, a large blue banner featuring Trump’s face was draped across the headquarters of the Justice Department, an agency traditionally seen as outside the reach of political influence.
Moroccan prosecutors on Thursday sought jail terms of up to two years for 18 Senegalese football fans imprisoned in Rabat since last month’s AFCON final over “hooliganism”, an AFP journalist reported.
Seeking the maximum penalty for some, the prosecution told the court that the defendants had “deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match”.
It said the group “committed acts of violence broadcast live on television”, while the defendants have denied any wrongdoing.
The Senegalese fans have been in pre-trial detention since January 18, the day of the heated AFCON final in which Morocco lost to Senegal 1-0 on home turf.
Minutes before the end of the match, some Senegalese supporters attempted a pitch invasion, while Senegal’s players halted the game for nearly 20 minutes to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
Some fans were also seen throwing objects onto the field, including a chair.
The prosecution said evidence against the defendants was based on footage from surveillance cameras at the stadium, as well as medical reports documenting injuries among security forces and stadium stewards.
Material damage to the stadium was estimated at more than 4 million Moroccan dirhams ($430,000), the prosecution said.
Morocco is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
A developing water crisis in Wajir North Sub-County has sparked criticism over the handling of a borehole project, with concerns raised about alleged political interference in the allocation of resources.
2027 Airbase Ward MCA aspirant Abdiwahab Mohamed Nurow has publicly criticised the decision making process surrounding the project, arguing that technical recommendations were overlooked in favour of political considerations.
According to Nurow, prolonged drought has severely affected communities in Bute and surrounding areas, creating an urgent need for sustainable water solutions.
He noted that a borehole initiative supported through humanitarian efforts, including involvement by the Kenya Red Cross, was intended to address the crisis.
He stated that a professional geological survey had identified viable water sources in Jima, near an old non-functional borehole, as well as in Bute Goda, both of which were said to have sufficient water capacity to serve the affected population.
However, Nurow alleged that instead of prioritising these recommended sites, the project was redirected to Buriga, a move he attributed to political considerations.
He further claimed that drilling at the alternative site reached depths of up to 400 metres without yielding water, leading to stalled progress despite the investment of resources.
“As a result, resources have been spent and expectations raised, yet the community remains without a reliable water supply,” he said.
Nurow emphasised that leadership decisions should be guided by expert advice, particularly in humanitarian interventions, warning that political influence could undermine effective service delivery.
He also called for greater transparency and accountability in the implementation of public projects, stating that residents of Wajir North deserve solutions that address their immediate needs.
The concerns raised highlight ongoing challenges in balancing technical planning and political decision making in the delivery of essential services in arid and semi-arid regions.
Airbase Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) aspirant Abdiwahab Mohamed Nurow has criticised the recent cooperation framework between the Nairobi City County Government and the National Government, arguing that it undermines devolution and weakens the authority of the county government.
In a series of public statements, Nurow expressed concern over the decision to transfer key county functions to the national level, describing the move as one that diminishes the role of the Nairobi Governor.
He stated that shifting responsibilities such as transport, waste management and public lighting raises serious questions about accountability, capacity and the independence of county governments.
“By transferring key Nairobi County functions to the National Government barely a year to the election, Governor Johnson Sakaja has reduced the Office of the Governor to a ceremonial seat instead of a center of real leadership,” Nurow said.
The 2027 MCA aspirant for Airbase Ward further emphasised that devolution is a constitutional principle that must be safeguarded, warning that such arrangements risk reversing gains made in decentralising power and resources.
“When a county surrenders its core mandates, it raises serious questions about capacity, accountability and independence. Devolution was meant to empower counties, not return them to dependency,” he added.
Nurow maintained that while cooperation between different levels of government is important, it should not come at the expense of county autonomy.
He called for transparency and meaningful public participation in any agreements that affect the management of county functions.
“Cooperation with the national government on transport, waste management and public lighting should strengthen Nairobi, not weaken the county’s mandate. Transparency and public participation are not optional,” he stated.
He further questioned whether Nairobi City County remains capable of managing its own affairs if core functions are handled through agreements with the national government.
“If core county functions must now be handled through State House agreements, it leaves Nairobians asking whether City Hall is truly capable of driving its own agenda,” Nurow said.
The remarks come amid ongoing public debate over the implications of the cooperation agreement between the Nairobi County Government and the National Government, with critics raising concerns about its impact on devolution and governance in the capital.
Nurow concluded by reiterating his opposition to the move, stating, “Nairobi deserves leadership that defends its autonomy and delivers results, not one that shifts responsibility at a critical political hour.”
A co-founder of online fashion giant Asos died after falling from an 18-floor apartment block in Thailand, police have said.
Quentin Griffiths has been named by Thai police as the man found dead on the ground in the eastern seaside city of Pattaya on 9 February.
A police investigator told the BBC Griffiths, a British passport holder, was by himself, his room was locked from the inside, and there was no trace of any break-ins at the time of the death. An autopsy did not reveal any evidence of foul play.
Griffiths co-founded Asos in 2000 and remained a significant shareholder after leaving the firm five years later.
The police also said Griffiths was involved in two ongoing court cases that might have caused him stress.
A truck allied to the Linda Mwananchi Movement was stoned on its way to Kakamega County for a rally scheduled for Saturday, February 21.
According to videos published by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, the truck was part of a convoy travelling to Kakamega when it was stoned at the Kona Mbaya trading center on Friday morning.
From a video shared by the senator, the turnboy was heckling the movement slogans moments before a rock came hurling at the truck.
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Panic ensued, with the driver working to keep the truck on the road, while the turnboy moved away, bending towards the truck’s floor to escape the impact.
In the video, you can hear panicked voices from those in the truck, beore the video goes dark.
Telecommunications giant Safaricom PLC has been issued with a 48 hour demand notice to compensate university student David Mokaya, acquitted in a high-profile cybercrime case, following a court finding that his electronic devices were unlawfully accessed and location data handed out without a prior court order.
The demand, issued by Danstan Omari & Associates Advocates on behalf of David Mokaya, seeks Ksh200 million in compensation for alleged violation of constitutional rights stemming from the illegal forensic examination of his digital devices.
The development follows a recent landmark ruling by the Milimani Magistrates Court, which acquitted Mokaya of charges of publishing false information allegedly targeting President William Ruto.
Mokaya had been accused of sharing an image depicting a funeral procession accompanied by a caption suggesting that it showed the President’s body leaving Lee Funeral Home.
However, in her judgment, Magistrate Caroline Nyaguthi found that the prosecution had failed to prove its case, citing significant gaps in the evidence presented.
A key issue in the case was the handling of Mokaya’s electronic devices.
The court found that investigators had accessed and examined the gadgets without a valid court order, contrary to the law governing digital evidence.
Although, investigators claimed that they had obtained warrants authorising the search and extraction of data, the court noted that no such orders were ever produced during the proceedings.
The magistrate consequently held that the forensic analysis was conducted unlawfully after the devices had already been seized, rendering the evidence obtained unreliable.
She further emphasised that cybercrime cases require strict adherence to legal procedures, given the sensitive nature of electronic data, which is susceptible to interference or manipulation if not properly handled.
During the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses in an attempt to link Mokaya to the alleged publication.
However, the court found that the State had failed to establish that he was responsible for the social media post in question. According to the prosecution, the content was allegedly published on November 13, 2024, through an account on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle “Landlord @bozgabi.”
The court, however, ruled that there was no conclusive evidence linking Mokaya to the account or the publication, leading to his acquittal.
Following the ruling, Mokaya’s lawyers have now turned their attention to seeking damages, arguing that his constitutional rights were violated through the unlawful obtaining, search and examination of his devices.
In a demand letter addressed to Safaricom, the advocates cite portions of the judgment in which the court acknowledged that electronic devices contain sensitive personal data that is protected under the Constitution.
The lawyers argue that the extraction and analysis of such data without judicial authorisation amounted to a serious breach of Mokaya’s rights.
They have demanded that Safaricom admit liability and compensate their client within 48 hours of receiving the notice.
Failure to comply, the letter warns, will result in legal proceedings being initiated against the company, with potential claims amounting to Ksh200 million.
Ida Odinga delivered an emotional tribute to her late husband, Raila Amolo Odinga, describing him as her “biggest supporter” and the pillar behind her personal and professional journey during her vetting for a diplomatic post before the National Assembly of Kenya.
Fighting back emotions, Ida told the parliamentary committee that Raila, whom she had been married to for 52 years, played a central role in shaping her life and encouraging her ambitions.
She appeared before the Departmental Committee on Defence Intelligence and Foreign Relations.
“I want to make special mention of my partner and my friend. My biggest supporter, my recently departed husband, Raila Amolo Odinga, with whom I have been married for the last 52 years,” she said.
“He always encouraged me and supported me as I pursued my dreams. He was a constant supporting pillar in my life who immensely contributed to who I am today. May his soul rest in peace.”
Her tribute briefly shifted the tone of the otherwise formal vetting process, highlighting the personal loss behind her latest public service appointment.
Ida also expressed gratitude to William Samoei Ruto for nominating her to serve as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a role that places her at the centre of global environmental diplomacy.
“I thank His Excellency, the President, William Samoei Ruto, for the trust he has placed in me by nominating me to serve our nation in this important global diplomatic role,” she said.
Beyond thanking the President, Ida acknowledged Kenyans who had sent messages of goodwill following her nomination, saying their support gave her strength during a period of mourning and transition.
She also paid tribute to her family, crediting them for standing by her throughout her life and career.
“I also thank my family and the people of Kenya who wished me well. My family and my husband moulded me and made me who I am today,” she said.
If approved, Ida will represent Kenya at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, where she will advance the country’s environmental interests and strengthen its voice in global climate and sustainability discussions.
Her nomination reflects both recognition of her decades of public service and a continuation of her long-standing involvement in national and international affairs.
Even as she prepares to take up the diplomatic role, it was her heartfelt remembrance of Raila that stood out—a reminder of a partnership that shaped not only her life but also Kenya’s political history.
Senior Counsel Charles Kanjama was elected as the 52nd President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) on Thursday, 19 February 2026. He will succeed Faith Odhiambo for a two-year term (2026–2028), with a formal handover expected in March 2026.
Kanjama secured a decisive victory in the polls supervised by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) with 3,728 votes.
Kanjama campaigned on a four-point RIPE agenda (Rule of Law, Integrity, Practice and Welfare, and Engagement):
Rule of Law: Pledged to publish an annual Rule of Law Report to hold institutions accountable.
Welfare and Mentorship: Aimed at strengthening support for young advocates and completing the Wakili Towers project transparently.
Electoral Reform: Expressed a commitment to advocate for statutory reforms and boundary delimitation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Judicial Independence: Stated his victory was a rejection of “undue influence,” promising a “sober, steady and disciplined” leadership.
Kanjama brings over two decades of legal experience to the role. Beyond being a Senior Counsel, he is a: Certified Secretary and Accountant. Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Certified Mediator. Former Chairman of the LSK Nairobi Branch (2016–2020).
Outgoing President Faith Odhiambo congratulated her successor, describing his win as resounding and urging him to serve with distinction as the country enters a high-stakes electioneering period.
