Kenya

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Nairobi’s governor pleaded not guilty to corruption and other economic crimes involving millions of dollars in a Kenyan court on Monday.

Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko was arrested on Friday and is accused of conspiracy to commit corruption, failure to comply with laws related to procurement, unlawful acquisition of public property and laundering the proceeds of crime.

Chief public prosecutor Noordin Haji has accused Sonko and his associates of the misappropriation of 357 million Kenyan shillings ($3.52 million).

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan police officers were among those killed when gunmen suspected to be from Islamist militant group al Shabaab attacked a bus on Friday near the border with Somalia, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s office said on Saturday.

The vehicle belonging to the Medina Bus Company was attacked on a lonely stretch of road in the Kotulo area as it traveled between the towns of Wajir and Mandera.

“People, among them police officers, were brutally murdered,” Kenyatta’s office said in a statement.

NAIROBI, Nov 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — The death toll from landslides that hit villages in northwestern Kenyan county of West Pokot has reached 43 as search and rescue efforts for the missing victims gather pace, local officials confirmed.

“I have received reports from search teams that the death toll has risen to 43,” John Lonyangapuo, the governor of West Pokot County was quoted telling Capital News, a local radio station.

NAIROBI, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan officials on Saturday confirmed that 37 people had died as a result of landslides that hit northwestern county of West Pokot following heavy downpour on Friday night, according to local media.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta sent condolences to the bereaved families in a statement, assuring that every missing person will be accounted for and measures put in place to prevent further loss of life.

NAIROBI, Nov 20 (NNN-KBC) — Senator Amos Wako has denied any involvement in a corruption-related case during his 10-year tenure as Kenya’s Attorney General.

This comes after the United States on Monday imposed sanctions on him, his wife and son, accusing him of involvement in significant corruption.

Wako, who was Attorney General during Kenya’s rocky transition from one-party rule to democracy, has been barred from entering the United States under the sanctions.

NAIROBI, Nov 11 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta rejected any gay agenda to be tabled in a global population conference to be held in Nairobi starting tomorrow.

Kenya will host the Nov 12-14 population conference “but will not accept practices that are at conflict with our cultures,” President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.

Kenyatta reiterated Kenya’s stand to protect cultural norms by not allowing any practices that will be seen devaluing traditions of various local communities.

NAIROBI, Nov.10 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for an inclusive platform of social participation in order to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) health targets.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of WHO told a health forum in Nairobi via a video conference call that for the international community to achieve universal health coverage, it must prioritize the needs of those left furthest behind, including women, children and adolescents.

NAIROBI, Nov 7 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — Kenya has agreed to share the disputed Migingo island with Uganda. This comes even as the government maintains that the land is in Kenya.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma said they had signed an MoU with Ugandan authorities to enable fishermen and other Lake Victoria users to access either side of the boundary.

NAIROBI, Oct 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The second phase of Kenya’s new railway line, running from the capital Nairobi to Naivasha town, will be opened Wednesday for passenger services only.

Cargo services will have to wait for the construction of a dry port, which could take longer than planned after the local Maasai community moved to court to oppose its construction.

The 120km stretch has been built by the China Communications and Construction Company at a cost of 150 billion Kenyan shillings.

GARISSA, Kenya, Oct 13 (NNN-KBC) – A roadside blast killed at least 10 paramilitary police officers in Garissa, along Kenya-Somalia border, a security official said.

A senior police officer said, the security officers from Harehare General Service Unit (GSU) Camp, lost their lives when their vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device (IED), suspected to have been planted by al-Shabab militants.

“The vehicle was extensively damaged,” said the police officer, who did not want to be identified.