MaaTribune

  Vodacom Group has cleared a major regulatory hurdle to gain majority control of Safaricom , Kenya’s largest telecom operator. The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Competition and Consumer Commission approved Vodacom’s plan to raise its stake from 35 % to 55 %, in a deal valued at Sh272 billion . The approval marks a significant shift in Kenya’s telecom landscape, giving Vodacom effective control over Safaricom’s operations, strategy, and financial decisions. It also reflects growing regional coordination on large-scale cross-border corporate transactions. How the Deal Works The Sh272 billion transaction has two main parts: Vodacom will buy 15 % of Safaricom from the Kenyan government , at a price above the prevailing market rate. Vodacom will acquire 5 % from its parent company, Vodafone Group , reorganizing its local holdings. After the transaction, Vodacom will own roughly 55 % of Safaricom , the government will hold about 20 % , and public a...

Dr. Ali Gholampour, the Iranian Ambassador to Kenya , has publicly reassured Kenyan authorities and the wider public that Iran will not target Kenya in the ongoing war between Tehran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other. According to reports from Kenyan media quoting Ambassador Gholampour’s remarks, his key point was straightforward: Kenya does not host a U.S. military facility of strategic value that would make it a target for Iranian retaliation . This was framed as a diplomatic clarification in response to speculation linking Kenya to the broader conflict dynamics, not as an outright dismissal of the conflict’s risks. In that context, the ambassador was attempting to separate Kenya’s bilateral relationship with Iran from the wider military confrontation in the Middle East. Iran maintains diplomatic relations with Kenya that include economic ties and cooperation agreements going back years, and Nairobi has been keen to balance its international partnerships. Wh...

  Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a man believed to be part of an organized criminal network linked to a series of violent robberies targeting traders across Kajiado, Kiambu, and Nairobi counties. The suspect, identified by police as Paul Irungu Mwangi, was apprehended in the Sonic area of Kasarani Sub-County after what investigators described as days of coordinated intelligence gathering and surveillance. Authorities allege that he is a close associate of Peter Muhia Njenga, who has been described by investigators as a key figure in a broader criminal syndicate under investigation for robbery with violence and related offenses. According to detectives, the group is suspected of orchestrating a string of attacks that have caused significant concern among wines and spirits traders operating in parts of the three counties. Several business owners had reported being targeted in incidents involving armed confrontations, theft of goods and ...

  kenyan TikToker who posted a viral video calling for a coup and challenging President William Ruto to a “battlefield confrontation” has been released, days after his arrest by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Peter Maingi Kimani, also known online as Menelik Kimani, was arrested on February 26 from the Gachage area of Kiganjo in Gatundu South Sub-County. Authorities said he had gone into hiding following the circulation of a video in which he made remarks interpreted as calling for the unconstitutional removal of the Head of State. He was released the following day, February 27, and later resurfaced on TikTok through a newly created account. In a video posted on Sunday, Kimani confirmed that he was home and safe but claimed that officers confiscated his mobile phone during the arrest. “I was arrested on Thursday and released on Friday. I am home and okay. The main issue is that my phone is being withheld by the police,” he said in the clip, urging followers to su...

  In 1982, a young boy in rural Kenya stood at a crossroads. His name was Chris Mburu. Bright, disciplined, and determined, he was the top student in his district. But talent alone was not enough. His family could not afford school fees, and without financial support, his education was about to end. Chris studied by lamplight in a mud-walled home without electricity. Like many children in rural communities, he faced a harsh reality: without education, his future would likely be limited to manual labor in coffee fields. His dreams were larger than his circumstances — but dreams do not pay school fees. At the same time, thousands of kilometers away in Sweden, an elderly kindergarten teacher named Hilde Back came across a child sponsorship listing. She selected a name from the list: Chris Mburu, Kenya. She began sending $15 every school term to support his education. There was no publicity. No ceremony. No expectation of meeting the child she was helping. Just a quiet decision by an 8...

  Johanna Ngeno was one of Kenya’s most recognizable grassroots politicians — a lawmaker whose rise from modest roots to national leadership was defined by resilience, ambition, and a fierce commitment to his constituents. His sudden death in a helicopter crash on February 28, 2026 , shocked the nation and left a void in the political and social life of his home constituency and beyond. Early Life and Education Born on December 12, 1972 , in Narok County , Johanna Ngeno grew up in a rural setting where access to quality education and economic opportunities was limited. Despite these early challenges, he pursued education with determination. He attended Mogondo Primary School , later joined Maseno National School for his secondary education, and went on to pursue higher studies. His academic path included legal studies at Mount Kenya University and a master’s degree in International Studies from the University of Nairobi . In September 2025, he achieved a major professional milest...