Author: Philes Isaboke

By.philes isaboke

Sakaja Fires “Mr Fix-It” Mosiria Days After He Declared Bid for Nairobi Governor
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has fired his outspoken Chief Officer for Public Participation, Geoffrey Mosiria, in a major county reshuffle announced on Tuesday, October 21, 2026.

In a letter signed by County Secretary Dr. Machel Waikenda, Zipporah Njeri Mwangi, the Chief Officer for Culture, Arts and Tourism, has been named as Mosiria’s replacement in an acting capacity. Samuel Njogu was appointed as acting Chief Officer for Mobility.

The firing comes barely 10 days after Mosiria declared his interest in challenging his boss for the Nairobi governorship in the 2027 General Election.

On October 11, at Bishop Margaret Wanjiru’s church, Mosiria said, “If you want change in Nairobi, Mosiria is the change. Sasa nataka nikuwe gavana, mama akiwa deputy wangu!”

Speaking to NTV shortly after receiving his letter, Mosiria said he anticipated the move, accusing people around the governor of influencing Sakaja because his performance was outshining the governor.

“I was delivering on his agenda and there is nothing to apologize for,” Mosiria said. He alleged his troubles started in December 2023 when his powers were stripped after he refused to approve irregular procurement.

By.philes isaboke

Emergency departments could treat thousands more patients and reduce dangerous waiting times simply by hiring more bedside nurses, according to a major new study published today.

Medical Care, analyzed 410 hospitals in the United States and modeled the impact of improving nurse staffing levels. The findings were striking.

Researchers projected that funding more positions for bedside nurses would be associated with over 5,000 additional patients being treated because emergency department stays would become shorter and beds would turn over faster. It would also result in over 250 fewer patients leaving the emergency room without being seen, a known risk factor

Hospitals can create more funded positions for bedside nurses to alleviate chronic understaffing conditions and solve long wait times in emergency departments. Our study emphasizes that safe nurse staffing matters to move the needle on safer, timelier care for the public.”

Emergency department crowding is a global crisis linked to staff shortages, burnout, an aging population, and limited inpatient beds. Crowding leads to treatment delays, increased medical errors, longer pain and suffering, and higher mortality.

For years, hospitals have tried to solve crowding with hallway beds and faster triage, but this study suggests the root solution is staffing. Nurses are responsible for assessments, medications, documentation, and patient flow. When they are stretched too thin, the entire department stalls.

Health policy experts say the findings should push policymakers and hospital administrators to invest in recruitment and retention of nurses rather than short-term fixes.

By.philes isaboke

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a second case of Ebola in Kenya, just over a week after the country recorded its first-ever infection.

Health Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth announced today that the patient is a 39-year-old man who is a close family member of the first patient. He was already under mandatory 21-day quarantine as a known contact when he fell ill.

According to the Ministry, the man developed symptoms including fever, unusual fatigue, and joint pains on Tuesday, October 13. The quarantine team immediately isolated him and collected samples for testing. Results from both the National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute-CDC (KEMRI-CDC) laboratories returned positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus.

The patient has been transferred to a designated Ebola Treatment Centre where he is receiving supportive care. Officials say his condition is being closely monitored.

Kenya’s first case involved a Kenyan man who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for several years. He traveled back to Nairobi while ill, was isolated at The Nairobi Hospital, and died on October 5. The Bundibugyo strain was confirmed on October 6.

Contact tracing has intensified. The Ministry said 128 contacts were identified from the first case. By October 13, 113 had been traced, with 108 placed in quarantine for 21 days with daily temperature and symptom checks. Five contacts are outside Kenya and authorities in those countries have been notified.

WHO has been formally notified under International Health Regulations. No travel, trade, or public gathering restrictions have been imposed. The public is urged to call toll-free line 719 and avoid misinformation.

By. philes isaboke

Adolescents who have at least one supportive adult they can confide in have significantly better mental health, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

The study, titled “Support Seeking and Mental Health Risk by Sexual Identity Among US Adolescents,” analyzed data from thousands of American teens. Researchers found a strong link between having a trusted person to talk to and lower rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

The findings are particularly relevant for vulnerable youth. The study found that while peers and friends offer some support, they do not fully replace the protective effect of a consistent, supportive adult, such as a parent, teacher, school counselor, or mentor.

Researchers also examined the role of schools. Schools where staff were perceived as supportive and caring were associated with a measurable reduction in suicide risk among students. This was true regardless of the student’s background.

The research comes at a time when teen mental health has been a growing national concern. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported signs of improvement in adolescent mental health for the first time in a decade. Experts have credited part of that improvement to expanded school-based mental health programs that intentionally connect students with trusted adults.

The authors recommend that parents, schools, and communities prioritize creating safe spaces where teenagers feel comfortable seeking help. They suggest that simple interventions, like regular check-ins and training teachers to recognize distress, can make a life-saving difference.

by . philes isaboke

HIV-positive sex workers in Kenya have died after being cut off from life-saving medication following drastic cuts to US foreign aid, an investigation by Agence France-Presse (AFP) has confirmed.

The women, who were previously healthy and on regular antiretroviral treatment, lost access to care when their dedicated clinics closed in early 2025 after US funding was withdrawn. Health workers on the ground confirmed the deaths to AFP, warning the number could rise.

For years, Kenya operated dozens of specialized, peer-led clinics that provided HIV treatment, condoms, testing, and counseling specifically for sex workers, a key population at high risk of infection. Most of those clinics have now shut down.

A July 2026 report by the Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR) documented the scale of the disruption, finding that 73% of US-funded organizations serving key populations had been forced to end or severely reduce services. The report linked the closures directly to the US aid cuts announced in January 2025.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has raised the alarm. Executive Director Winnie Byanyima described the situation as “the most serious disruption in the HIV response since the world came together to fight this disease.”

Public health experts warn that interrupting antiretroviral therapy not only endangers individual patients but risks increased transmission and drug resistance. Frontline workers in Nairobi report patients returning to sex work without condoms or medication, unable to afford private care.

The Ministry of Health has not yet commented on plans to fill the funding gap.

By.philes isaboke

Three Saudi citizens, including a national pilot, were killed after Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed Friday that the attack on Thursday, October 8, killed three people and wounded several others of different nationalities.

The deceased pilot was identified as Captain Hamoud Ali al-Kalthami. In an obituary, Saudia Group said, “It is with profound sadness that Saudia announces the passing of Captain Hamoud Ali al-Kalthami, who lost his life on Thursday in the incident at King Khalid International Airport.”

According to GACA, the first missile targeted airport facilities, while the second struck a Saudia aircraft parked on the tarmac. The aircraft had no passengers on board at the time but sustained damage.

The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they targeted the airport with a ballistic missile.

The attack is the deadliest on Saudi soil since the Kingdom launched a military offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. It prompted hundreds of flight cancellations. FlightAware reported massive disruptions, with Air India suspending flights to Riyadh through Saturday, Lufthansa Group through October 16, and Pakistan International Airlines also suspending operations.

The United States Embassy issued a security alert Friday urging Americans across the Middle East to “exercise heightened vigilance” due to potential airspace closures and travel disruptions.

Oil prices surged more than 5 percent on Friday following the attack, amid fears of wider shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb.

Operations at the airport resumed at 6 p.m. Thursday, but Saudi authorities said they are assessing damage and reviewing security.

The escalation comes days before Riyadh was due to host a major gathering of global oil industry leaders.

by.philes isaboke

South African jurist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, 85, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her lifelong efforts to promote peace and international law.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on Friday at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo.

“The system of international law is under tremendous pressure, and its institutions are under attack,” the Committee said in its citation. “We see a shift towards power politics at the expense of legal frameworks. Whenever might overtakes right, it undermines stability, trust and peaceful co-existence.”

Born in 1941 in Durban to a family of Indian Tamil origin during apartheid, Pillay made history in 1967 as the first woman to start a law practice in Natal Province and later as the first non-white woman to serve as a judge on South Africa’s High Court.

Her early legal work included defending Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists.

Internationally, she served as a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, where she played a landmark role in establishing rape and sexual violence as acts of genocide, and as a judge of the International Criminal Court. She also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014.

Most recently, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which last year concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Israel dismissed the report as “scandalous.”

The Committee praised Pillay for holding states accountable and bringing hope to victims, noting a “common thread” from her anti-apartheid work to major international tribunals.

The Prize is worth 12 million Swedish crowns, about USD 1.2 million, and will be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

Pillay succeeds Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won in 2025.

by.philes isaboke

INDIA DONATES 6,000 PPE KITS AS KENYA CONTAINS EBOLA SCARE

India has donated 6,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to Kenya to support the country’s Ebola response, as health officials maintain that the country remains safe after an imported case.

The High Commission of India in Kenya said on Thursday, “India stands in solidarity with Kenya in its efforts to combat Ebola Virus Disease. We remain committed to supporting Kenya’s public health preparedness.”

The donation comes after Kenya’s Ministry of Health confirmed on Monday that a traveller from the Democratic Republic of Congo died on October 6 after testing positive for Ebola.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale briefed diplomats on Thursday, assuring them that a single imported case does not indicate widespread transmission.

In a related development, Wajir County Governor on Thursday confirmed that a suspected Ebola case reported in Wajir had tested negative.

Kenya also received a USD 2 million grant from China yesterday, split equally between Ebola response and drought mitigation.

The Ministry said the National Incident Management System has been operational since May 2026, with surveillance intensified at health facilities, border points, and communities. Rapid response teams remain on high alert nationwide.

“The response continues to be guided by verified epidemiological information, scientific evidence and established public health protocols,” the Ministry said.

Citizens have been urged to report any suspected symptoms and observe hygiene measures.

By.philes isaboke

The Cabinet has approved a major financial rescue package for Kenya Airways in a bid to save the struggling national carrier.

In a dispatch released after a Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House on Friday, the government approved USD 350 million, approximately Ksh 45.4 billion, in shareholder financing.

According to the statement, the funds are intended to meet urgent financial obligations, including aircraft maintenance and efforts to return grounded planes to service. The financing will be disbursed in tranches under the oversight of the National Treasury, with a repayment period of up to ten years and a clause allowing for possible conversion into equity.

In a second intervention, Cabinet endorsed the proposed conversion of Ksh 122 billion in existing government loans, together with accrued interest, into an equity-qualifying tradable instrument. The move is designed to clean up Kenya Airways’ balance sheet and improve its ability to attract strategic investors.

“The interventions form part of the airline’s long-term turnaround plan,” the dispatch read.

The government defended the bailout, noting that Kenya Airways contributes more than USD 1.3 billion annually to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product through tourism, trade, and regional connectivity.

The approvals are not yet final. Both measures remain subject to corporate, shareholder, and regulatory approvals.

The national carrier, which is majority-owned by the government, has been loss-making for over a decade and is currently seeking fresh capital from strategic investors.

Three scientists have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discoveries involving light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.

Karl Deisseroth from the United States and Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel from Germany were announced yesterday by the Nobel Assembly. Their work developed a technique that uses light to control nerve cells, transforming understanding of the brain and offering new ways to treat neurological disorders.