Donation Amount. Min £2

East Africa

Kenyans vote at Rongai Constituency, Nakuru County during the August 9, 2022, General Election. Photo  IEBC 

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has distanced itself from a viral social media post alleging that over two million ghost voters will be removed from the voter register before the 2027 General Election.

The Commission flagged the post as fake and clarified that it currently has no chairperson or commissioners in office, and any statements attributed to its members were misleading. 

The fake post had alleged that the incoming Commission Chairperson, Erustus Ethekon, had been appointed and was leading a cleanup of the voter register.

It further purported that Kiambu County was leading with the highest number of ghost voters, followed by Meru, Nairobi, and Nyeri Counties.

 

Kenyans.co.ke

''We will remove over 2 million ghost voters from the register before the 2027 elections. Kiambu County has the largest concentration of ghost voters, followed by Meru, Nairobi, and Nyeri,'' the fake poster alleged.

In a quick response, IEBC advised Kenyans to disregard the post, warning Kenyans against falling for such misinformation.  

“Please note that the Commission currently neither has a Chairperson nor Members of the Commission. Therefore, any information circulating on social media is null and void,” the statement read.

According to the commission, no official communication regarding voter register audits or appointments has been made and urged the public to rely on verified channels for electoral updates.

“We urge Kenyans to treat such posts with the contempt they deserve and to verify information through our official platforms,” the statement continued.

According to a gazette notice dated June 10, President William Ruto officially appointed Ethakon as the new IEBC Chairperson. Ruto also appointed Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, and Mary Karen Sorobit as the commissioners. 

Others appointed are Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah.

Despite the appointments, the chairperson and commissioners are yet to assume their positions following the High Court's conservatory orders that had temporarily barred the gazettement and swearing-in of the nominees pending the outcome of a constitutional petition.

The petition raised concerns about the transparency and legality of the selection process.  By Christine Opanda, Kenyans.co.ke

South Sudan's parliament speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba- Courtesy 

As South Sudan approaches its 14th Independence Day on 9 July, uncertainty persists over the reopening of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA).

Lawmakers have been on recess since December 2024, with no clear return date, raising concerns over delays in approving the 2025-2026 budget.

Unlike fellow East African Community (EAC) members Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda, which have already submitted their budgets, South Sudan remains the only country in the region still operating under last year’s financial plan.

When Radio Tamazuj asked about the reasons for the delay, TNLA spokesperson Oliver Mori Benjamin said government officials were preoccupied with Independence Day events.

“Not yet. Now people are busy with preparations for Independence Day on the 9th. So, people are occupied with that,” Mori said.

Bol Joseph Agau, chairperson of the Constituency Development Fund and a member of the economic committee, expressed frustration but acknowledged that reopening parliament requires coordination among government branches.

“As an MP, I wanted the session to resume immediately, but there’s little we can do alone. Reopening requires collective action—it’s not something one branch can force,” Agau said.

He stressed that passing the budget must be the priority once parliament reconvenes.

“The budget is critical. If parliament opens, discussions should begin immediately to ensure the 45-day budget process is completed by July or August. Other legislative matters can follow,” he added.

While Independence Day preparations are the official reason, financial constraints appear to be a key factor. In June, Oliver Mori Benjamin, chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Information and Communication, cited “circumstances beyond our control” for the delay.

Agau also highlighted the country’s cash shortage, noting that despite a push for digital payments, physical currency remains scarce.

“The issue isn’t that there’s no money—it’s that cash is being hoarded. People are storing money at home, disrupting the flow in markets, customs, and government operations,” he said.

Daniel Juol Nhomngek, a national lawmaker, said the delayed reopening of South Sudan’s parliament was due to a lack of funds, dismissing claims that preparations for Independence Day were the cause.

“The problem is that they’re avoiding the fact that there’s no money. Parliament was supposed to reopen on April 1, but they cited logistical problems,” he said.

According to Nhomngek, lawmakers were recently told that parliamentary officials were working with the finance ministry to secure funding before sessions could resume.

“This has nothing to do with Independence Day preparations. You can prepare while parliament is sitting. Sessions can resume even as other activities continue,” he added.

Ter Manyang, a South Sudanese civil society activist advocating for good governance, claimed unpaid lawmakers and salary arrears—not Independence Day preparations—are the real reason for the delay.

“The country is in total confusion. Even officials don’t know what’s happening,” Manyang said. “The Speaker told me parliament hasn’t reopened because of a lack of resources. MPs are waiting for their allowances.”

He said TNLA administrators submitted a budget request to the Finance Ministry but have yet to receive funds.

Officials at the National Ministry of Finance and Planning could not immediately be reached for comment. Radio Tamazuj

The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin was on Thursday expected to appear in court to respond to a directive requiring him to produce missing blogger and activist Ndiangui Kinyagia, dead or alive.

The order was issued by Justice Chacha Mwita on July 1, 2025 who demanded Amin’s physical appearance after the DCI boss denied police were holding Kinyagia. The activist has now been missing for 12 days, with his disappearance coming shortly after he posted the itinerary for the June 25, 2025 protest anniversary on his social media platforms.

Amin had publicly stated that Kinyagia was a person of interest over his online posts and that officers who visited his home found him absent, claiming they had no knowledge of his whereabouts.

However, Justice Mwita dismissed this explanation as “pure drama,” insisting that “no one can simply vanish into thin air without the police knowing.”

All eyes are now on the Milimani Law Courts, where Amin is expected to walk a legal tightrope. Will he shed light on Kinyagia’s whereabouts? By Davies Ayega, Capital News

The outspoken constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno has unleashed a blistering attack on President William Ruto and his allies over the controversial plan to construct a Ksh1.2 billion church within State House Nairobi, branding the move as a constitutional travesty and a dangerous blurring of church and state.

In a scathing statement on his official X account on Friday, July 4, 2025, Otieno dismissed the explanation that Ruto is using his own money for the extravagant chapel, calling it an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans. 

“Kenya has lost direction. Completely. We are being told with a straight face that a man whose official salary is Ksh1.4 million a month is building a Ksh1.2 billion church out of his pocket? Let’s be serious. Even if he never ate, never travelled, and never paid a single school fee or tithe, it would still take him over 70 years to save that money, net of tax,” he said.

The proposal for the ultra-modern, multi-faith church to be built at State House was unveiled by President Ruto, who framed the project as part of a personal vow to God made during the 2022 elections.

Statement by lawyer Willis Otieno on President Ruto’s plan to build a church in the State House.PHOTO/ A Screengrab taken by People Daily digital posted by@otienowill/X

According to Ruto, it is not public money. It is my money. I made a promise to God, and I am keeping it. But Otieno, known for his sharp constitutional analysis, scoffed at the justification, calling it a thinly-veiled attempt to Christianise the state and misuse public infrastructure for personal religious expression.

“Since when did personal vows to God become binding on public institutions funded by taxpayers?” he asked.

“You say the military has chaplains. Yes. But the military also has imams, Hindu spiritual leaders, and psychologists. And their services are provided within a pluralistic framework, not by building one giant church in the name of God and Commander-in-Chief.”

President William Ruto with members of the clergy and other leaders during an interdenominational church service at Nanyuki Stadium. PHOTO/William Ruto (@WilliamsRuto)/Twitter

Otieno’s roar 

Otieno also aimed at Ruto’s defenders, who have pointed to Bishopbourne—the former Anglican clergy residence used during colonial times—as precedent.

“Are you seriously using a colonial-era Christian structure as constitutional justification for embedding religion into modern state operations? Have we regressed from the 2010 Constitution back to a British protectorate mindset?” he posed.

“If this were a mosque, would you still be defending it?” Would the same apologists remain silent if the President promised Allah a minaret in the middle of the State House?”

 

He said the Kenyan Constitution recognises freedom of religion and expressly separates religion from state operations. He argues that constructing such a monumental religious structure in the seat of executive power undermines this foundation and signals a creeping theocracy.

“Kenya is a secular, pluralistic republic. Personal faith must never override constitutional boundaries. Let Ruto honour his promises to God but on his land, with his money, and without defiling public institutions.” 

Otieno stated that, still, with Kenyans facing rising living costs, unemployment, and a national debt crisis, the optics of a billion-shilling religious monument at State House are proving politically radioactive. By , People Daily

The government shelved a key part of its controversial Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill just 90 minutes before the vote.

Keir Starmer was dealt a significant blow to his leadership, despite winning the vote on his government's benefits cuts.. (Getty) (WPA Pool via Getty Images)

Sir Keir Starmer was forced into a humiliating climbdown in order to push through his government’s controversial welfare reforms in farcical scenes in the House of Commons on Tuesday night.

The government won by 335 votes to 260 after making a series of concessions, including one less than two hours before the vote took place.

Faced with the prospect of a humiliating defeat, the government confirmed at around 5.30pm it would shelve key changes to personal independence payments (PIP) until a review into the proposed changes had been completed sometime next year.

It means PIP claimants will no longer have to score four points or more in a single category of their assessment to qualify for the benefit until the review is complete. 

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall insisted the Labour Party was “100%” behind Starmer, but admitted there were “lessons to be learned”

Some 126 Labour backbenchers had previously threatened to vote against the legislation, enough to block its passage through the Commons, but in the end only 49 did so.

The full list of Labour rebels who voted against the bill are: Diane Abbott, Rosena Allin-Khan, Paula Barker, Lee Barron, Lorraine Beavers, Olivia Blake, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Irene Campbell, Lizzi Collinge, Stella Creasy, Marsha De Cordova, Peter Dowd, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Cat Eccles, Clive Efford, Mary Kelly Foy, Tracy Gilbert, Mary Glindon, Chris Hinchliff, Imran Hussain, Terry Jermy, Kim Johnson, Ian Lavery, Brian Leishman, Emma Lewell, Clive Lewis, Rebecca Long Bailey, Rachael Maskell, Andy McDonald, Navendu Mishra, Abtisam Mohamed, Grahame Morris, Margaret Mullane, Simon Opher, Kate Osamor, Kate Osborne, Richard Quigley, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Marie Rimmer, Cat Smith, Euan Stainbank, Graham Stringer, Marie Tidball, Jon Trickett, Derek Twigg, Chris Webb, Nadia Whittome, Steve Witherden.

Sir Stephen announced the climbdown in the middle of the debate on the legislation as the government faced the prospect of an embarrassing defeat, despite having majority of 165 and after just under a year in office 

He acknowledged “concerns that the changes to Pip are coming ahead of the conclusions of the review of the assessment that I will be leading”.

He said the government would now “only make changes to Pip eligibility activities and descriptors following that review”, which is due to conclude in the autumn of 2026.

MPs were openly critical of the government's last-gasp measures to win over critics, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch branding it an "utter capitulation".

Labour’s Andy McDonald asked, “What are we supposed to be voting on?” as key reforms in the bill were shelved, while leading Labour rebel Rachael Maskell said the bill was "unravelling and is a complete farce".

The move will also cause a headache for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has seen a forecast £4.8 billion saving from the welfare budget whittled away, leaving her to seek extra money through spending cuts, tax hikes or borrowing to balance the books. By 

 

About IEA Media Ltd

Informer East Africa is a UK based diaspora Newspaper. It is a unique platform connecting East Africans at home and abroad through news dissemination. It is a forum to learn together, grow together and get entertained at the same time.

To advertise events or products, get in touch by info [at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447957636854.
If you have an issue or a story, get in touch with the editor through editor[at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447886544135.

We also accept donations from our supporters. Please click on "donate". Your donations will go along way in supporting the newspaper.

Get in touch

Our Offices

London, UK
+44 7886 544135
editor (@) informereastafrica.com
Slough, UK
+44 7957 636854
info (@) informereastafrica.com

Latest News

IEBC Denies Plans to Remove Over 2 Million Ghost Voters From Register

IEBC Denies Plans to...

Kenyans vote at Rongai Constituency, Nakuru County during the August 9, 2022, General Election. Pho...

South Sudan parliament stuck in recess

South Sudan parliame...

South Sudan's parliament speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba- Courtesy July 4, 2025 JUBA As South Sudan approa...

Willis Otieno reprimands Ruto over plans to build a church at State House

Willis Otieno reprim...

The outspoken constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno has unleashed a blistering attack on President Wil...

Will DCI boss produce missing blogger Kinyagia, 12 days later?

Will DCI boss produc...

The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin was on Thursday expected to appear in cou...

For Advertisement

Big Reach

Informer East Africa is one platform for all people. It is a platform where you find so many professionals under one umbrella serving the African communities together.

Very Flexible

We exist to inform you, hear from you and connect you with what is happening around you. We do this professionally and timely as we endeavour to capture all that you should never miss. Informer East Africa is simply news for right now and the future.

Quality News

We only bring to you news that is verified, checked and follows strict journalistic guidelines and standards. We believe in 1. Objective coverage, 2. Impartiality and 3. Fair play.

Banner & Video Ads

A banner & video advertisement from our sponsors will show up every once in a while. It keeps us and our writers coffee replenished.