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Scores of passengers have been injured after a bus veered off the road and plunged into a river on the evening of Tuesday, October 7.

The bus flipped on its side on what appeared to be a riverbed during the incident, which happened at Waruku, off Waiyaki Way. Several people have reportedly died as a result of the incident, but Kenyans.co.ke has not been able to independently verify the reports. 

Kenyans.co.ke has since established that the bus toppled into the Mashagusha stream in the Waruku Village area of Kileleshwa, Nairobi, which is a tributary of the Kitusuru River.

Nairobi Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria confirmed the incident, stating that the accident had left at least 30 people with serious injuries.

Scenes from an accident along Waiyaki way on the evening of Tuesday, October 7.

Photo

Robert Alai.

"A bus has plunged into a river at Waruku, off Waiyaki Way. Over 30 injured, with more than 20 at Riverside Medical Center," Mosiria said on his social media pages. 

Images of the incident painted a worrying picture, as passers-by were among the first responders at the scene of the accident. 

One of the key challenges during initial rescue operations was the fact that the bus was partially submerged in water, causing panic among some of the passengers trapped inside. 

Since the bus lay on its side, injured passengers had to be evacuated through the windows, with civilians struggling to evacuate their colleagues. 

At the time of publication of this article, no deaths had been confirmed, although scores sustained life-threatening injuries. The exact cause of the accident is also yet to be established. 

This is the second incident involving a bus full of passengers losing control in Nairobi, coming just weeks after another bus accident claimed the life of one passenger along Jogoo Road. 

At the time, it was reported that the speeding bus lost control, veered off the road and plunged into a ditch, killing one person on the spot.

The Waruku incident was also the second one on Tuesday in Nairobi, after a personal vehicle veered off an exit and overturned along the busy Thika Highway in the morning. 

An overturned bus along Jogoo Road in Nairobi on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

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SIKIKA

More to follow...

The High Court has extended conservatory orders halting the functions of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests.

This marks another blow to President William Ruto, who announced the task force in August, but has been met by roadblocks.

"The interim orders have been extended until then, and then refers to October 21 at 10am," the judge said. 

Initial conservatory orders were issued on September 8 when Justice Kizito Magare certified the application dated September 5, 2025, as urgent and directed that it be heard inter partes (between the petitioner and the respondent). 

President William Ruto with Prof Makau Mutua, at State House, Nairobi, April 30, 2025.

PCS

On Monday, October 6, the case was mentioned again at a Kerugoya Court, with the judge directing petitioners to file within three days. Respondents, meanwhile, are expected to file submissions within seven days. 

With the conservatory orders still in place, respondents (State Law Office and Ministry of Interior) and their servants are still unable to act on the presidential proclamation of August 6. 

The initial petition was filed by four activists, who challenged what they described as "unlawful exercise of the President's powers". The activists further claimed that President Ruto had no legal authority to establish such a panel, as they also questioned the criteria used in selecting the panel's members. 

Incidentally, the latest court directive occurred nearly concurrently with the resignation of Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo from the Panel of Experts. Odhiambo had been named alongside Professor Makau Mutua as an interested party in the initial lawsuit. 

In her resignation letter, Odhiambo noted that the time-bound mandate of the panel had already been stopped by the High Court, and therefore, the proposed 120-day tenure of the panel was likely to lapse before the matter is resolved and settled.

As per the gazette notice, the panel’s mandate included designing an operational framework to verify and categorise victims, authenticating data from authoritative institutions such as IPOA, KNCHR, and the Ministry of Health, and recommending appropriate reparations. 

Where evidence allows, the panel will also be proposing prosecutions and accountability measures through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

While the panel was tasked with conducting its mandate within three months, the hurdle that is the conservatory orders throws a spanner in the works, since by the time the next court decision is made (October 21), nearly two months will have lapsed since the panel's formation. 

LSK President Faith Odhiambo during the International Justice Mission Kenya Baseline Study Dissemination Event on Justice System Response to Police Accountability on September 9, 2025.

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Faith Odhiambo

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has resigned from President William Ruto's Victims Compensation Panel, after weeks of mounting pressure.

Ruto appointed her to the Panel of Experts that includes 14 others as the vice chairperson, to spearhead the process of compensating victims of demonstrations and public protests across the country.

''Earlier today, I tendered my resignation from the position of Vice Chairperson of the Compensation Panel. I will continue to agitate for Justice for all Victims and pursue all key deliverables I had set out to attain,'' Odhiambo announced. 

''My resignation from the Panel takes cognisance of the crucial point at which Kenya finds itself in the quest for full constitutional implementation and lasting reform to our democratic context. This consequential moment for our country calls for all our rule of law institutions, especially the Law Society of Kenya, to remain unified and resolute in discharging the mandate bestowed upon us by law.''

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo addressing the press.

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Faith Odhiambo

According to the LSK boss, the time-bound mandate of the panel had already been stopped by the High Court, and therefore, the proposed 120-day tenure of the panel was likely to lapse before the matter is resolved and settled.

Additionally, Odhiambo said that despite her resignation, she will continue championing the plights of thousands of victims of police brutality through the leadership of LSK.   

''My commitment to agitate for the rights of victims remains impregnable; I will continue to take up and prosecute matters on behalf of victims of police excesses during demonstrations, and work towards safeguarding holistic justice for victims,'' she maintained. 

Adding that: ''Further, it is not lost on me that there remains a significant gap in our victim reparations framework which must be addressed urgently. LSK will forthwith engage all justice stakeholders and Human Rights institutions to formulate legislative proposals to reconcile the infirmities in our laws and institutions that have left victims prejudiced and short-handed in their quest for justice.''

The panel, chaired by Presidential Constitutional Advisor Professor Makau Mutua, was unveiled to steer the compensation framework amid calls for justice and accountability for those affected during anti-government protests.

However, her appointment drew sharp criticism from sections of the legal fraternity, civil society, and opposition leaders, who argued that her involvement in the panel compromised the independence of LSK. 

On September 8, the High Court issued orders temporarily suspending the functioning following a petition by Lawyer Levi Munyeri.

Reacting to Odhiambo’s resignation, Munyeri stated, ''Faith Odhiambo, you have done the right thing. Better late than never. Now, let us turn our focus to the rest of the panel and ensure justice is delivered for our slain and injured patriots.''

Meanwhile, the High Court in Kerugoya on Monday extended the conservatory orders barring the compensation panel from operation until October 21. 

LSK President Faith Odhiambo during the swearing-in of the Panel of Experts on Compensation for Protest Victims in Nairobi on September 4, 2025.

PCS

Judiciary

The Ugandan National Police has denied reports linking them to the alleged abduction of two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, in Kampala last week.

Speaking on Monday, October 6, during a State of Security press briefing, UNP Spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke said he has no reports that the two were in police custody.

The two have not been heard from since they were reportedly forced into a van at gunpoint while seeking services at a petrol station in Kireka township, just outside Kampala, on Wednesday, October 1.

“On the matter of the two Kenyan activists who disappeared in Uganda, I am not briefed by the police that we have them in our custody. So at the moment, I do not have any information to the effect that they are in police custody,” he said. 

Uganda Police Force Spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke speaking at a past function.

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Kituuma Rusoke

“If I had any information on their whereabouts of the two activists, I would present it here without any reservation,” the spokesperson noted.

Rusoke added that there was no information on the status of the two activists, as no formal reports had been filed with the police to report whether they were missing persons or not.

“I also do not know whether it has been reported formally whether they are lost persons. I do not have that information,” he revealed.

The two activists were allegedly abducted while attending a political campaign on Wednesday afternoon at a petrol station.

The two were in Uganda for a meeting with the National Unity Platform Presidential candidate Bobi Wine, the main opponent to the incumbent President Yoweri Museveni for the upcoming general elections.

According to one of the activists who travelled with Oyoo and Njagi, following the abduction, their phones were switched off and their whereabouts remain unknown.  

The activist, who was also abducted and later released, recounted that they were immediately bundled into a waiting car before the masterminds sped off with them. 

After their abduction, the Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, released a statement where they disclosed they had sought details on the whereabouts of Njagi and Oyoo.  Principal Secretary Korir Sin'goei confirmed that Kenya's Mission in Uganda had taken up the matter with local authorities.

In a formal communication, the High Commission of the Republic of Kenya in Kampala expressed concern over the incident and sought urgent clarification from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Kenya further requested Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with relevant security agencies in Kampala to establish the activists’ whereabouts and provide an update on their safety.  

"In light of the foregoing, and to address the concerns raised by the families of the two Kenyan nationals, the Mission requests the Ministry's assistance in liaising with the relevant authorities in Kampala to obtain information regarding the current situation of the missing Kenyans for the Mission to take appropriate action in securing their release and safe return to Kenya," the Mission noted.

President William Ruto with his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, during his official visit to State House, Nairobi on July 30, 2025.

PCS

Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has called off their planned strike after a breakthrough in talks with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).

The breakthrough announced on Wednesday night brings an end to the tension that had engulfed the air travel sector for over two weeks.

The latest development was announced in a statement by Kenya Airports Authority Managing Director Mohamud Gedi, who revealed that the emergency talks at the eleventh hour bore fruit.

"The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is pleased to announce the successful resolution of the labour matter with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) following constructive and collaborative deliberations", the statement read. 

Kenya Airports Authority headquarters at the JKIA in Nairobi

Photo KAA

Initially, aviation workers suspended their planned strike on September 30 for two days on September 30 to allow for negotiations with KAA following a court directive requiring the two parties to sort their differences before industrial action proceeds.

A conciliation report was expected to be filed in court on Wednesday, ahead of a scheduled court session on Thursday, October 2. 

A week earlier, KAWU issued a seven-day strike notice as they accused the KAA board of incompetence. The union proceeded to list six grievances, which they said needed to be resolved or the strike would proceed.

At the time, KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema decried a "loss of faith" in the KAA Board of Directors, with one of the key grievances being poor governance.

A week later, KAA, through their managing director, revealed that a breakthrough in talks was a result of collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, which was directed by the court to hear both parties on Monday. 

In the statement, KAA confirmed that operations within KAA-managed airports would continue uninterrupted following the truce with KAWU.

"Passengers, airlines, and partners can be assured of our commitment to excellent customer experience across all KAA-managed airports. The Authority remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety, security, and service excellence," the statement added. 

Industrial action from KAWU is typically handled with urgency, particularly because of the ramifications that come with airport workers downing their tools. In September 2024, hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as workers commenced their strike in protest of the infamous Adani deal. 

The strike, which began at midnight, led to operations at the airport getting paralysed, with both domestic and international flights affected. 

Passengers queue at JKIA during a past industrial strike by Kenya Aviation Workers Union in Nairobi.

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Edwin Dande

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has announced a marginal decrease in fuel prices in the latest review. 

The latest review released on Sunday, September 14  saw pump prices for Super Petrol, Diesel, and Kerosene have each decrease by Ksh0.79, Ksh0.11 and Ksh0.80 per litre respectively.

In Nairobi, Super Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene will retail at Ksh184.52, Ksh171.47 and Ksh154.78, respectively, effective midnight on Monday, September 15. 

"In accordance with Section 101(y) of the Petroleum Act 2019 and Legal Notice No.192 of 2022, we have calculated the maximum retail prices of petroleum products which will be in force from 15th September 2025 to 14th  October 2025," a statement from EPRA read.

A person refuels his car at a petrol station.

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Trading Room

This was the second month in a row which saw pump prices experience a slight drop, after Super Petrol initially dropped by Ksh1 during the August-September review.

In Mombasa, super petrol will retail at Ksh181.24 per litre, while diesel will retail at Ksh168.19. 

Similarly, Thika motorists will also experience reduced fuel prices, albeit very marginally, with petrol prices set to remain at Ksh184.16 for the next four weeks. Diesel, meanwhile, will retail at Ksh171.47. 

As per the provisions of the Finance Act 2023 and the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act of 2024, and the new pump prices are inclusive of a 16 per cent Value-Added Tax. 

The average landed cost of imported Super Petrol decreased slightly by 0.46 per cent, dropping from Ksh 96,728 per cubic metre in July 2025 (USD623.71) to Ksh 96,262 (USD620.84) in August 2025.

During the same period, the cost of imported Diesel fell by 3.38 per cent, from Ksh98,558 to Ksh95,275 per cubic metre.

Kerosene also recorded a slight price decline, as landing cost decreased by 2.93 per cent from Ksh97,303 in July to Ksh94,438 per cubic metre in August 2025. 

Interestingly, the latest review came after the Central Bank of Kenya's weekly bulletin published on September 12 suggested that global oil prices had edged higher.

According to the bulletin, there was a 2.5 per cent increase in the price per barrel of Murban crude, which was mainly driven by potential supply disruptions stemming from geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

“International oil prices rose, reflecting potential supply disruptions from the conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, even as concerns over weakening US demand and an expected oversupply from planned output increases by OPEC+ countries remain,” CBK’s bulletin read.

Kenya heavily relies on imported petroleum products, and EPRA typically adjusts pump prices based on, among other factors, exchange rates and global crude trends. 

Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General Daniel Kiptoo during the launch of Coalition for Safety on Thursday, March 13, 2025.

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EPRA

Slain lawyer Kyalo Mbobu died from excessive bleeding and severe injuries after being shot eight times, Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor has now revealed.

Speaking on Thursday, September 11, after the conclusion of a postmortem done on Mbobu, Oduor revealed the cause of death in an incident that sent shockwaves across the country.

Oduor further detailed that the pathologists had recovered two bullets from Mbobu's body, even as police had earlier revealed that there were missing spent cartridges from Mbobu's vehicle.

Mbobu was killed by unknown assailants in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday, September 9, as he was heading home in the Galleria Brookside area in Karen. At the time of his shooting, the lawyer was making his way through Magadi Road.

Senior Advocate Kyalo Mbobu, who was shot dead by a gunman in Nairobi on September 9, 2025, pictured at a past event.

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Judiciary

In a report released by the police after the incident, the authorities disclosed they had managed to recover three used cartridges, with preliminary investigations revealing that Mbobu was shot five times in the head, killing him on the spot. 

Prior to his demise, Mbobu had reportedly held a meeting with unknown people inside one of the city hotels. Afterwards, he left the hotel and drove to attend another meeting within the CBD; regardless, he embarked on Lang'ata Road to begin the journey to his residence.

Regarding the shooting, reports indicate that the incident occurred during a traffic snarl-up along the Magadi Road, with the assailants taking the opportunity to shoot him dead.

His death sparked outrage from the Law Society of Kenya, which demanded justice even after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) disclosed that it had begun a probe to investigate his death.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo described the murder as a brutal and premeditated assassination that pointed to the dangerous climate facing legal practitioners in the country.

The Society's demands were echoed by Mbobu's family, who demanded swift investigations and answers on who wanted their loved one dead. They described Mbobu as the pillar of the family, noting that his death was a huge blow to the family of 12 siblings.

Fast forward to today, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen addressed the matter, revealing that significant progress had been made in investigations surrounding the murder.

Murkomen noted persons of interest had already been identified and that the individuals were being interrogated by the police. He also noted that officers from the DCI were in the process of identifying more people linked to the Tuesday evening incident.

According to the CS, several witnesses had already come out to provide information, and the detectives were in the process of piecing together the details.

"We have been in touch with the DCI since this thing happened, and I am happy to note that there is some progress. Some persons of interest have been identified," Murkomen revealed.

Adding that, "Those persons of interest are being interrogated, and so many others are going to be sought. We thank the eyewitnesses who have already come out who were at the scene, and many others who are giving information to the DCI."

Murkomen went on to assure Kenyans of a speedy probe and called on more members of the public with information regarding the incident to reach out to the nearest police station.

A collage of slain lawyer Kyalo Mbobu (middle), his brother James Maluki (right) and his mother (left).

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Kenyans.co.ke

Former Rongo Member of Parliament and Minister for Industrialisation, Dalmas Otieno Anyango, is dead. 

The former legislator died on Sunday at the age of 80. It is, however, not yet clear what led to his death. 

His son, Eddie Otieno, confirmed that the former Rongo Member of Parliament died at his residence in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.

Mourning his death, the Deputy Chief of Staff Eliud Owalo described the former MP as an exceptionally brilliant and composed leader.

Owalo further noted that the death of Otieno has robbed Kenya of a leader who greatly shaped the nation’s socio-economic ecosystem.

An undated photo of Former Rongo Member of Parliament Dalmas Otieno Anyango giving a speech during a public event.

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Eliud Owalo

"I first knew Dalmas during my university student days and later developed a close working relationship with him that spanned over three decades. Most recently, we collaborated on the conceptualisation of the Nyanza International Investment Conference," Owalo stated.

"Dalmas was an exceptionally brilliant and composed leader – articulate, visionary, and a shrewd businessman with an unwavering passion for socio-economic development. He was also a pioneer entrepreneur in both the insurance and banking sectors," he added.

Otieno was first elected as the Rongo Member of Parliament for Rongo in 1988, and later served as a Minister for Industrialisation from 1988-1991.

He then transitioned to Minister of Labour and Human Resource Development in 1991, and later that year, he served as a minister for Transport and Communications.

In 2007, Anyango joined the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), where he reclaimed his Rongo seat and was later appointed Minister of State for Public Service in Kenya's coalition government.

Otieno was reelected as the Rongo MP in 2013; however,  in 2017, he lost the elections after he decamped from ODM and decided to run for the seat as an independent candidate.  

In 2018, the former MP was appointed as the Vice Chairperson of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), a position he held until 2024.

An undated photo of Former Rongo Member of Parliament Dalmas Otieno Anyango

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Dalmas Otieno Anyango

Kericho Governor Eric Mutai has survived an impeachment motion in the Senate, securing his position and continuing to serve as the county boss. Senators voted to acquit the governor with a decisive 26 against 16.

First, the senators needed to vote on whether the threshold for impeaching the governor had been met. 26 of the 42 senators who voted felt that the threshold had not been met; one senator abstained, while 16 felt it had been met.

This concluded the process, as it determined that the governor's impeachment by the County Assembly was not in accordance with the law. Therefore, the matters raised by the County Assembly against the governor did not warrant a vote. 

The Senate vote on the threshold matter thus annulled the County Assembly's impeachment and secured the governor's position. He will now continue to serve as governor of Kericho County.

Kericho Governor Erick Mutai at his office on August 29, 2022

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Erick Mutai

The impeachment proceedings stemmed from a series of charges, including gross misconduct and abuse of office, which were initially brought by the Kericho County Assembly. 

According to the documents presented by the assembly to the Senate, the motion had passed after being supported by 33 members of the assembly. This number became a key point of contention at the Senate.

During the debate before the final vote, some senators challenged the validity of the evidence presented by the county assembly. Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi sided with the governor's legal team, claiming the initial electronic vote was marred by technical issues.

He referred to presented evidence that showed the IP addresses of some voters were located outside the assembly, indicating that some MCAs had cast their votes from remote locations, including as far as Ahero in Kisumu and Kapsabet in Nandi.

Similarly, Taita Taveta Senator Danston Mungatana also questioned the evidence provided by the county assembly. He argued that based on the evidence presented, the constitutional threshold of 32 MCAs required to impeach the governor had not been met.

During the trial, concerns were raised regarding whether the initial 32-MCA threshold required for the impeachment at the county level had been legally met. The debate threatened to derail the entire process.

Speaker Kingi, however, had ruled that the constitutional threshold had been satisfied, paving the way for senators to debate the charges and before ultimately casting the final vote on the matter. 

The impeachment motion against the Governor was initiated by the Kericho County Assembly, which accused him of gross violation of the Constitution, misuse of office, and gross misconduct.

The Senate trial, which started on Wednesday August 27, lasted three days with both the County Assembly and Governor Mutai's legal teams given time to present their cases. 

On Thursday, August 28, the Governor strongly defended himself against the motion. His legal team questioned the electronic voting system used by the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to vote for his removal.

Mutai claimed that the required number of 32 MCAs had not been reached, arguing that only 29 had legally voted.

While the Assembly says 33 MCAs supported his removal, the Governor insists that four of those votes were actually cast in his favour. 

His lawyers argued that those votes were meant to end the impeachment process before it could move forward.

Impeachment

Mutai was first impeached following a chaotic session on Friday, August 15, 2025. The impeachment motion, proposed by Sigowet MCA Kiprotich Rogony, received strong support with 33 MCAs voting to remove the governor.

Chaos broke out in the Assembly right after the Speaker confirmed Mutai's impeachment. Some MCAs were injured during the chaos, and others were taken to the hospital.

This is the second time in less than a year that Mutai was impeachment by the Kericho County Assembly.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi

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Senate of Kenya