Author: Visaho Delson

President William Ruto is currently on an eight-day development tour of Kenya’s Coast region. The visit focuses on delivering title deeds to long-time squatters, launching infrastructure projects, and addressing local concerns about roads and services. Ruto has already begun handing out documents and inspecting sites, while promising more investment in the six coastal counties.
A major highlight of the tour is the planned groundbreaking of the Dangote East Africa oil refinery in Lamu, expected around 30 September 2026. The project, estimated at between $15 billion and $17 billion (roughly Sh2 trillion to Sh2.2 trillion), is set to become one of the largest industrial investments in Kenya’s history. Ruto recently toured the existing Dangote refinery in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria, at the invitation of billionaire Aliko Dangote, and described the Kenyan facility as even more ambitious in scale and impact.
Once complete, the Lamu refinery is expected to process about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and supply refined products not only to Kenya but also to Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Officials say it could create around 60,000 jobs during construction and operation, while reducing East Africa’s heavy dependence on imported fuel. Machinery for the project has already arrived at Lamu Port, and local communities have outlined conditions they want met before full construction begins.
The government presents the refinery as a cornerstone of regional energy security and industrialisation. Critics and some residents, however, continue to raise questions about environmental impact, land rights and how the economic benefits will be shared with ordinary coastal residents.

The White House has launched its own 24/7 streaming channel, branded “TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station,” just three days after barring three major news organizations from the White House. The channel went live at 7 p.m. EDT on Monday, September 21 on the White House’s official YouTube channel, promising to show “the Trump Administration’s biggest moments all in one place” with “top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights streaming 24/7 and updated in real time.” Since then it has looped archival footage of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance alongside live announcements.

The launch followed a sweeping press crackdown. On Friday, September 18, President Trump announced on Truth Social that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were banned from the White House “effective immediately,” accusing them of constantly reporting “FAKE NEWS” and arguing that outlets “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President.” By Saturday, September 19, reporters from the three outlets were denied entry at the gates, with CNN reporting that correspondent Betsy Klein’s press pass was seized. Trump warned that “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”

The ban triggered an instant backlash from the broader press pool. The TV pool — CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and Fox News — declined to cover White House events, which left some official streams, including a helipad unveiling, without audio because no pool crew was present to provide a microphone. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the new channel “quite literally state-run TV,” saying “First, Trump banned independent news from the White House. Now, he’s launching what is quite literally state-run TV.”

The Department of Justice has defended the move, stating that White House access is a “privilege — not a right” and citing national security concerns. Meanwhile, CNN, Politico and MS NOW have filed a joint federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., alleging First Amendment and due process violations. President Trump said Tuesday he would “probably” comply if a judge orders the ban reversed.

Trump TV is now featured on the White House website under “White House Live” and is also being promoted on the White House’s X account. It remains unclear if the service will expand beyond YouTube or permanently replace independent pool coverage, but it marks the first time the White House has operated a branded 24-hour channel while simultaneously excluding major independent outlets from the building.

photo courtesy : Reuters

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that Tehran would never surrender to the United States but remains committed to diplomacy, striking a defiant yet measured tone at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. His remarks came just a day after US President Donald Trump used the same podium to threaten to “annihilate” Iran if it continues its current course, escalating the war of words between the two longtime adversaries.

The dueling speeches bookended the first US-Iran shuttle talks in months, held on the sidelines of the UNGA, but the public statements from both leaders suggested little movement toward ending the wider Middle East war. While Trump leaned into a hardline warning, Pezeshkian framed Iran as a nation under pressure but unwilling to capitulate, insisting that diplomacy — not force — remains the only viable path forward.

In a striking moment during his address, Pezeshkian held up photographs of schoolchildren from Minab he said were killed in joint US-Israel strikes, in an apparent effort to highlight the civilian cost of the conflict. The images drew audible reaction in the hall as he accused Washington and its ally of targeting innocent civilians under the banner of security.

With neither side signaling any public concession, the annual gathering at the UN has instead underscored how deeply entrenched the standoff remains.

photo courtesy of AFP

On 16 August 2026, a political mobilisation tour organised by the Linda Mwananchi movement, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and including other prominent figures, encountered serious violence while attempting to hold rallies and processions in Homa Bay County. The events centred on efforts by the movement to address public gatherings in parts of the county, including areas around Homa Bay town and Nyandiwa. Local political rivalries, intensified by competing claims to influence in the post-Raila Odinga Nyanza political landscape, formed the broader context for the confrontation.
Armed groups described by police and witnesses as “goons” erected roadblocks, attacked the Linda Mwananchi convoy with stones and crude weapons, and set fire to at least six vehicles. Journalists covering the events were assaulted and had equipment stolen; a beach hotel was stormed and looted; the Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital was vandalised as attackers reportedly sought injured supporters; and a church facility was also targeted. Police reported that one officer died after being struck by a stone, while a civilian (a Ugandan woman) was fatally run over amid the chaos. Dozens of civilians and several additional officers sustained injuries, with some requiring specialised treatment.
In the immediate aftermath, the National Police Service arrested dozens of suspects (initially 37, with further persons of interest identified) and recovered significant quantities of crude weapons. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations continued probing alleged mobilisation and financing of the violence. Linda Mwananchi leaders accused certain local politicians and security agencies of complicity or failure to provide adequate protection, while government and rival voices attributed the disorder partly to the movement’s decision to enter a politically contested area. Weeks later, Senator Sifuna publicly pledged that the movement would replace a taxi driver’s vehicle that had been torched during the incidents.
The Homa Bay events highlighted the volatile intersection of opposition mobilisation, local power contests, and public-order challenges in the lead-up to the 2027 general election. They also prompted renewed calls from multiple sides for strict adherence to constitutional rights of assembly alongside firm enforcement against organised political violence.

Edwin Watenya Sifuna was born on 22 May 1982 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Mumias, Kakamega County, and raised in a working-class family in Western Kenya. His father served as a civil servant with the former municipal council, while his mother worked as a teacher at Moi Primary School in Bungoma before retiring. Sifuna began his formal education at Kakamega Township Primary School and later attended Musingu High School, where he completed his secondary examinations.

He proceeded to the University of Nairobi, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2006, obtained a postgraduate diploma from the Kenya School of Law in 2007, and was admitted to the Roll of Advocates in 2008 after completing pupillage at Kairu & McCourt Advocates in Nairobi.
Before entering elective politics, Sifuna practised as a lawyer, serving in corporate legal roles and later establishing his own firm. He became involved in opposition coalition politics from 2013, first as a technical and advisory committee member of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) and later of the National Super Alliance (NASA).

In the 2017 general election he unsuccessfully sought the ODM nomination for Kanduyi Constituency and subsequently contested the Nairobi senatorial seat, finishing second. In February 2018 he was appointed Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement, a position he held until mid-2026.
In the August 2022 general election Sifuna was elected Senator for Nairobi County, securing 716,876 votes. He assumed office on 8 September 2022 and was later appointed Deputy Minority Whip in the Senate.

His tenure as ODM Secretary-General ended in 2026 following internal party processes that were upheld by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal. As of September 2026 he continues to serve as Nairobi Senator and remains an active figure in national opposition politics, particularly through association with the Linda Mwananchi movement.

In recent public statements Sifuna has indicated his ambition to contest the presidency in the 2027 general election, positioning himself as a challenger to the incumbent administration. Several political figures aligned with the Linda Mwananchi grouping have publicly endorsed the idea of his candidacy, describing him as a potential standard-bearer for a new opposition realignment.

Whether this ambition materialises will depend on future coalition negotiations, party structures, and voter support in the intervening period. His career to date illustrates the trajectory of a lawyer who moved from advisory roles within opposition coalitions into elective office, senior party leadership, and, more recently, open national presidential aspiration.

Congolese superstar Fally Ipupa has announced that his song “KITAMATA” will be removed from his new album “XX DÉLIRIUM” and taken down from all streaming platforms. The track, a tribute to the late TP OK Jazz legend Josky Kiambukuta, had been one of the best-received songs from the album since its release.

Speaking to Top Congo FM, Fally revealed that despite prior agreements with the children of the late Josky Kiambukuta and properly crediting the deceased icon as the author of the song, he is facing demands for what he described as exorbitant royalties from certain members of the family. “The song was already doing very well and was well received by the public. It will be removed from the album today because, despite all the agreements reached with the children and Josky Kiambukuta being credited as the author of the song, certain members of his family are asking me for exorbitant rights,” he said.

Fally clarified that before recording and performing the tribute, he had contacted the legitimate rights holders who were set to receive all royalties generated by the song. He said the decision to withdraw the track was made to avoid unnecessary controversy. “Faced with certain behavior, I no longer want to become the subject of an unnecessary controversy simply because I wanted to pay tribute to the late great artist,” he added.

“KITAMATA” will be officially removed from the “XX DÉLIRIUM” tracklist today, though the rest of the album remains available on all platforms.

A 29-year-old Harare woman, Sharlene Rutendo Munenga, has been arrested and remanded in custody after allegedly biting her husband’s testicle during a dispute over a suspected affair at their Dzivarasekwa home on September 9. According to court reports, Munenga confronted her 33-year-old husband Munyaradzi Pondi over infidelity claims, and the argument turned violent, leaving him with serious injuries that required hospitalization.

She appeared before Magistrate Ruth Moyo charged with physical abuse under the Domestic Violence Act, with the State expected to present a medical affidavit, as the case awaits a bail hearing.