Phode News Hub

  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...

  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...

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kisumu County arrested three suspects on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in connection with the attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi. Quick background on the incident The attack took place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at Java House restaurant inside West End Mall in Kisumu.  A group of armed goons confronted Senator Osotsi, assaulted him, and robbed him, leaving him with injuries.  He was initially treated locally before being airlifted to Nairobi for further medical care. CCTV footage from the scene (which quickly circulated online) clearly captured the assault, and Java House management handed over the full unedited video to police. CCTV footage shows Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi being attacked by goons inside  a Java House in Kisumu. The arrested suspects The three men now in custody are: 1. Carlos Owiti alias Kalonje (24 years old) – from Nyalenda, Kisumu 2. Eric Otieno alias Dude (39 years o...

  There is an ongoing public outrage and criticism regarding the Kenyan government's alleged issuance of passports to questionable foreign nationals, with little to no official response from authorities.  This controversy has been prominent in Kenyan media and social discussions in early 2026. Key details from recent reports include: Allegations that Kenyan passports were issued to individuals linked to controversial or sanctioned figures, such as associates of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader (including Algoney Hamdan Dagalo Musa, brother of "Hemedti"), and others like a Zimbabwean businessman with a fraud conviction (Wicknell Chivayo). Claims suggest these passports were granted through irregular channels, possibly on direct orders from high-level offices such as State House, bypassing standard vetting and security protocols. A leaked document reportedly lists dozens of such foreign nationals who received Kenyan citizenship documents. Concerns raised includ...

Safaricom SIM swap fraud (also called SIM swapping) is a serious scam in Kenya where fraudsters trick Safaricom into transferring your phone number to a new SIM card they control.  This gives them access to your calls, SMS, and — most critically — your M-Pesa account and any bank accounts or services that use your phone number for verification (like OTPs or two-factor authentication). How fraudsters typically carry out a SIM swap and cause financial loss 1. They gather your personal information. Fraudsters collect details like your full name, ID number, date of birth, phone number, approximate registration location, mother's maiden name, or other data from social media, data breaches, phishing, or public sources. 2. They impersonate you at Safaricom. They visit a Safaricom shop/agent (or sometimes exploit insider help) and pretend to be you, claiming they lost their SIM or need a replacement/new registration.  3. They present fake/forged documents or use stolen identity info t...

K RA custom officers have arrested a foreigner suspected to be on a money laundering mission at JKIA. According to media reports, the Bahrainian national was netted down on Friday morning and found in possession of about Kshs. 110m converted from dollars. It is alleged that the foreigner had hidden the money in several bags. Officials at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport were on high alert as the foreigner attempted to bypass the airport security check. When inquired about the source of the money, he responded that it was payment for the work he had done. Officials at the airport were acting on intelligence report shared by Financial Report Center that captured the foreigner while attempting to aboard an Egyptian bound airline. The man was later on released but the money is held by the police to be used as exhibit in the investigation process. A similar incident happened in 2020 when a Nigerian was found with Ksh.123 million in cash bundled inside a bag.