Phode News Hub

King Mswati III is the King of Eswatini. The practice of him marrying "virgin maidens" is closely knit to Eswatini culture and tradition, and not just personal preference. Everything about the Culture 1. Cultural Tradition : Umchwasho and Umkhosi woMhlanga Eswatini has two big cultural practices linked to this: - Umchwasho / Reed Dance (Umkhosi woMhlanga)   This is an annual ceremony where tens of thousands of unmarried, childless young women "maidens" from across Eswatini go to the Queen Mother's palace. They cut reeds and present them to the Queen Mother.   During this time, participating girls are expected to be virgins and wear no tops as a sign of purity.  - Choosing a wife     After the Reed Dance, it’s traditional for the King to select a new wife from the maidens who participated. The selection is public and seen as a great honor for the girl and her family. 2. Why Virginity is Emphasized In Swazi culture: - Purity and lineage: Virginity i...

Political leaders, majorly drawn from the opposition, gathered at Kitale, Trans Nzoia County on Sunday August 23, 2023 to commemorate the life and times of the late Michael Kijana Wamalwa. Leaders who graced the occasion included former Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Leader), Justin Muturi (DP Leader), Dr. Fred Matiang'i, Martha Karua, Charity Ngilu and Eugine Wamalwa. Michael Kijana Wamalwa served as Kenya's eighth Vice President under the leadership of President Mwai Kibaki. He was the Ford Kenya Chairman, having inherited the seat after the demise of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in 1994. He died on the 23rd of August 2003, at the age of 59 years, while receiving treatment at Royal Free Hospital in London. The late Wamalwa is remembered for his unmatched leadership qualities, excellent mastery of the Queen's language, a great orator and being too honest to the point of naivety. Wamalwa's clarion call for a united opposition made it possible to dislod...

  Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen is facing strong criticism and a parliamentary summons over the violent clashes during a Linda Mwananchi political tour in Homa Bay County on August 16, 2026. The violence involved hired goons who blocked roads, attacked the convoy of the breakaway ODM-linked Linda Mwananchi group, led by political figures including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, torched vehicles, looted businesses, and injured journalists and others.  Reports put the toll at least two dead, including a police officer in some accounts, dozens injured some reports cite 46–54+ and significant property damage.  Allegations include under-reported deaths, one MP claimed 12+, assaults and possible rapes of women and vandalism of churches. Key developments Pre-event remarks : On August 14, Murkomen publicly warned politicians against mobilising goons to disrupt rival rallies, stating police had instructions to keep meetings peaceful and that the government would protect all politi...

Supporters and organisers explicitly pitch it as a break from Kenya’s traditional ethnic/tribal voting patterns.  The official site sifuna.net leads with “Beyond Tribe. Beyond Tomorrow” and presents Sifuna as a “people’s movement for a new Kenya.” Testimonials on the site and circulating on X deliberately highlight people from different communities Kikuyu/Mountain, Kalenjin, Northern Kenya, Coast, etc. declaring support and signing off with #SisiNdioSifuna or #MimiNiSifuna.  Recent posts continue that pattern, with individuals naming their ethnic or regional background while backing Sifuna Present context  Polls : A TIFA survey (June 2026 data, released late July) put Sifuna at around15% nationally — the fastest-rising opposition figure (from near-zero in 2025) and second overall behind President William Ruto who is at 24%.  Among ODM supporters he was the clear favourite at 44%, ahead of Ruto at 20%. Support is strongest in Western Kenya,his Luhya base, but he has r...

Kakamega Senator Dr. Bonnie Khalwale asked President William Ruto not to attend the burial of his late wife, Gloria Sekeiyan Khalwale, on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Malinya in Ikolomani Constituency, Kakamega County—turning the funeral into a politically charged event. Gloria, Khalwale’s third wife, born 1981, mother of eight of his 17 children, died suddenly on August 15, 2026, after collapsing from a heart attack/cardiac arrest.  Khalwale, a medical doctor, said he tried to resuscitate her before she was taken to Mukumu Hospital, where she died. Her body arrived home on Thursday, August 20, amid a large procession; Khalwale personally marked and cleared the grave site in line with Luhya customs, typically on the left side of the house in polygamous homesteads. The service was led by the Catholic Church.a Political remarks Speaking at the burial, Khalwale said Ruto had sought to attend and, via aide Farouk Kibet, requested landing coordinates for the presidential aircraft. Khalwa...

U.S President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social declaring an “ECONOMIC D-DAY” against Iran and warning that any country providing it a “lifeline” would face severe economic consequences. Key points from the announcement Trump said Iran had “failed to take” opportunities for a deal and that the U.S. would pursue “the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY” involving “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale." He specifically stated: “ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences.” He called for an immediate end to activities including “Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies,” adding “You know who you are,” and urged U.S. allies to join in isolating Iran. No specific new measures, timelines, targeted countries, or legal mechanisms were detailed in th...

Education CS Julius Ogamba while appearing before the National Assembly on 19 August 2026 clarified official school hours for day public and private basic education institutions under Regulation 84 of the Basic Education Regulations, 2015. Key points from his statement: Earliest permissible reporting time: No day institution may require learners to report earlier than 7:15 a.m. This is the earliest allowed arrival time and not a mandatory reporting time. Learners may arrive earlier voluntarily, but schools cannot demand it. Official class/instruction hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Co-curricular activities: 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. These rules apply to both public and private day schools. The distinction is important: arriving at 7:15 a.m. is for settling in; formal classroom teaching starts at 8:00 a.m. This reaffirms existing regulations amid concerns that some schools were forcing learners to report as early as 5–6 a.m. (or earlier) for remedial classes or other activ...

President William Ruto, who rose through Youth for KANU ’92 (YK’92)—the well-resourced youth mobilisation outfit that helped Daniel arap Moi win Kenya’s first multiparty election in 1992—has repeatedly been described by analysts and media as drawing on that era’s playbook and broader Moi-era tactics. YK’92 Background and Ruto’s Role In 1992, facing the end of one-party rule and a fragmented but energised opposition, Moi’s KANU created YK’92 (led by Cyrus Jirongo, with involvement from Moi family members and others).  It targeted unemployed youth and the informal sector with promises of opportunity, backed by heavy state resources, cash handouts (the Sh500 note became known as a “Jirongo”), grassroots zoning of strongholds and opposition areas, defections to create momentum, and aggressive mobilisation. Ruto, then in his mid-20s and fresh from the University of Nairobi, served in the secretariat (often described as a disciplined organiser handling minutes and operational work)....

  Activists, led by Julius Kamau, chained themselves to the gate of Jogoo House in Nairobi on Monday, August 17, 2026, demanding the resignation of Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja. The group of about six activists carried white mock coffins marked “Why kill Kenyans?”, along with placards and crosses.  They highlighted alleged police brutality, abductions, deaths in custody, extrajudicial killings and what they described as the police’s failure to protect Kenyans.  Some reports also linked the protest to recent insecurity and chaos in Homa Bay County. They threw the coffins over the gate into the compound before chaining themselves. Kamau remained attached to the gate for a while, addressing those present and calling for freedom, justice, and equality. He stated: “Siogopi bana, niko tayari kufa nikigania Kenya” (“I’m not afraid, I’m ready to die fighting for Kenya”) and led chants of “We shall overcome.” He also criticized the grabbing of public land and urged Ke...

Kenya government has come up with various financial inclusion measures to benefit workers in the informal sector. Just like formal employees, players in the informal sector are currently able to secure their future through pension schemes.  In the mobile financial inclusive platform, Kenyans are able to join the NSSF Haba Haba, KNEST, Women Enterprise Fund and the Hustler Fund. However, if you want to grow your money, build your financial security and secure your future it's prudent to join the NSSF Haba Haba or KNEST. NSSF Haba Haba NSSF Haba Haba can be accessed through the mobile app or by dialing *254#. It's a voluntary savings and pension scheme meant to help the informal sector workers save consistently for retirement and long-term financial security. It targets the informal sector such as boda boda operators, mama mbogas, farmers, casual labourers and professionals with or without a formal pension scheme. Products available under NSSF Haba Haba include long-term voluntar...

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna who doubles vas Linda Mwananchi leader successfully held a rally in Homa Bay County on Sunday, August 16 2026, despite roadblocks and disruptions. Roads leading into Homa Bay town were blocked early in the morning by large stones and groups of youths. This forced Sifuna and his team to hire a boat to reach the area via Lake Victoria. He posted casually about it, writing something along the lines of “Top of the morning from the beautiful Homa Bay! Ati wameblock barabara? Tuonane shortly." Police escorted the convoy. There was a confrontation in Ndhiwa where officers used teargas to disperse youths who pelted vehicles with stones, briefly delaying the group.  The team pressed on and held the main event in Nyandiwa, where residents gave them a warm reception that brought parts of the area to a standstill. Sifuna was joined by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and other Linda Mwananchi leaders. He thanked the crowd, pledged to return, “We will be bac...

  President William Ruto has faced sharp public and online backlash over remarks made during the August 12, 2026, launch of a national conversation on Kenya’s future beyond Vision 2030. At the event at the KICC in Nairobi, Ruto contrasted Vision 2030, developed under the pre-2010 constitutional order, with the current process under the 2010 Constitution.  Clips circulating widely online captured him saying something to the effect of: it is important to engage the exercise “in the context of a new constitution that does not request us to consult the people… No, it is mandatory to consult the people. Background of the remarks Supporters and some clarifications, including from accounts reviewing fuller context, argue Ruto was referring to the 2010 Constitution itself as the “new” framework that makes public participation mandatory (unlike the older order under which Vision 2030 was crafted, where consultation was more discretionary).  He has repeatedly emphasized...

Kenya has launched a national conversation to shape a new long-term development framework beyond Vision 2030, aimed at guiding the country toward becoming a high-income, “first-world”  President William Ruto opened the process at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.  It is hosted by the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat and framed as a citizen-driven exercise rather than a top-down government plan. Officials emphasized that the government will facilitate, but Kenyans will define the content and direction of what is intended to become a National Development Charter, oftenly referred to in connection with a Vision 2060 horizon.  The charter is meant to outlast individual administrations, political parties, election cycles and to be constitutionally anchored. Background of Vision 2060 Vision 2030, launched in 2008 under President Mwai Kibaki, aimed to transform Kenya into a newly industrialized, middle-income country providing a high quality...

 Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who is the Leader of Democracy for the Citizens Party has publicly demanded a public inquest into several high-profile deaths during President William Ruto’s administration, raising specific questions he says remain unanswered. On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during a national statement assessing the Kenya Kwanza government’s four years in office (delivered at DCP headquarters in Nairobi), Gachagua focused on the deaths of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (October 2025 in India), former Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla (helicopter crash in 2024), and Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno (helicopter crash).  He framed these as part of a broader pattern of unresolved high-profile cases and urged the Director of Public Prosecutions to use constitutional powers to establish a public inquest. Key questions Gachagua raised on Raila Odinga’s death He questioned medical care in the final hours, travel arrangements, lack of a...

  Kenya Met and WMO are warning of a moderate-to-strong El Niño likely to hit from the months of October 2026 and possibly persist to January 2027. 1. Timeline & Forecast August: Dry and hot. 80-82% chance El Niño conditions develop, but most of Kenya will see below average rainfall especially in Highlands West of Rift Valley, Lake Victoria Basin, Rift Valley, Northwestern Kenya October-November-December:  Above average rainfall is expected. 90-96% chance El Niño persists to the end of 2026. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki says rains could possibly continue until January 2027. Strength: Kenya Met says 81% chance it will be "very strong" with index possibly above 2.6. WMO warns if a positive Indian Ocean Dipole also develops, rainfall will be even more enhanced. 2. Main Risks Flooding and Infrastructure damage - Enhanced rainfall >50mm in 24hrs, some stations up to 180mm - High risk of flash floods, landslides, mudslides especially in mountainous areas - Da...

Kenya is one of Africa’s most biodiverse countries, but that diversity is under serious pressure. The trend line is clear: wildlife numbers, species survival odds and habitat quality have been dropping for decades. The boundary for biodiversity loss has already been transgressed in parts of Kenya, leaving many ecosystems at heightened risk of collapse. The scale of wildlife decline Wildlife: Kenya lost more than 50% of its wildlife biomass since 1970. Wild herd numbers in rangelands fell by 68% between 1977-2016. In the Masai Mara, most species declined by 50-80% since the 1970s, including a 90% drop in resident wildebeest. Species at risk: 463 plant and animal species in Kenya are threatened with extinction per the 2017 IUCN list - including 30 mammals, 43 birds, 73 fish and 234 plants. Of Kenya’s 7,000 plant species, 356 are threatened or near threatened, with 24 critically endangered. Survival probability: The IUCN Red List Index shows a downward trend for birds, mammals...

President William Ruto stared at an alarming crisis in 2024, after angry protestors stormed various streets across the country over punitive tax policies. Angry youths, breached security details and stormed Parliament buildings, forcing legislators to flee using alternative exit points. Some of the protestors lost their lives, while others sustained serious gun wounds as armed police fired aimlessly.  What started as a routine protest, culminated into a treasonous attempt to dethrone Ruto. Gen-Zs revolt almost crushed the entire Kenya Kwanza administration. This forced Ruto to send the entire Cabinet packing with the exception of the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. In attempt to sanitize his regime, Ruto reached out to his erstwhile political nemesis - the late Raila Odinga. In a strange twist of fate, the two political juggernauts shook hands and buried their differences. Later on, President Ruto formed a new Cabinet with the inclusion of four Cabinet Secreta...

President William Ruto and ODM leader Oburu Oginga are leading a joint Broad-Based Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting/retreat in Naivasha, Nakuru County.  The two-day retreat brings together lawmakers and leaders from the Kenya Kwanza/UDA side and ODM (plus affiliates) under the broad-based government arrangement formed after political engagements involving the late Raila Odinga. It includes more than 250 National Assembly members and about 45 senators, plus governors, Cabinet Secretaries, and party officials.  Attendees have included Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, Health CS Aden Duale, governors such as Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Cecily Mbarire (Embu) and Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi), plus party secretaries-general and others. Purpose and agenda of the meeting It focuses on strengthening the UDA–ODM partnership ahead of the 2027 general election (ro...

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi held a UDA grassroots mobilisation meeting in Butula, Busia County, on Sunday. Mudavadi's meeting came a day after Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and the Linda Mwananchi movement campaigned in the same area. The Prime Cabinet Secretary visit was framed as an effort to strengthen the ruling United Democratic Alliance’s support base in Western Kenya (the Mulembe/Luhya region) ahead of the 2027 general election and to rally residents behind President William Ruto’s re-election bid.  Reports and social media posts from the event showed Mudavadi engaging local leaders and supporters on organisation-building and development themes. Sifuna’s group (including Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale) had toured parts of Busia on Friday, including Bumala, Murumba, Butula, and Nambale.  This formed part of a broader Linda Mwananchi push into traditional opposition strongholds and a challenge to the long-dominant regi...

Love him or hate him, but Rigathi Gachagua is a super glue that will bind a united opposition in Kenya against president William Ruto. The former Deputy President is a man on a mission. His main goal is political vengeance against his impeachment that was orchestrated by the President. Gachagua knows well that without a united opposition, it wouldn't be possible to oust Ruto from presidency. The recent bullying of his colleague Party Leaders from Mt Kenya region to join his DCP Party was just to trigger them to wake up from their laurels and start campaigning against their common enemy. In the opposition, it's only Rigathi Gachagua and Edwin Sifuna who are on a serious campaign mode against the present government. Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Fred Matiang'i, Eugene Wamalwa among other opposition figures are yet to show their seriousness.  Gachagua seems to be irritated by such laziness and has consistently stated that the single opposition presidential ticket should be ba...