KENYA NEWS EXPRESS

By Wilson Amondo  NAIROBI, Kenya,  September 11, 2026   Nakayo Kone, a Samburu entrepreneur, is gaining national recognition as an emerging grassroots leader in Kenya’s evolving agribusiness sector after showcasing her enterprise at the 3rd Edition of the DairyTech Africa, FoodTec Africa Expo and National Agribusiness Summit in Nairobi. Kone, Chief Officer and founder of Lomala Farm Enterprises in Samburu County, represented Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands at the three-day exhibition held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. The event brought together entrepreneurs, industry stakeholders, policymakers and development partners to explore opportunities in agriculture, food processing, dairy and value addition. For Kone, the event was more than an exhibition. It provided a national platform to demonstrate how enterprises emerging from pastoral communities can contribute to food security, climate resilience and sustainable economic development wh...

By Wilson NAIROBI, Kenya,  September 12, 2026   Changemakers from Kenya and beyond were celebrated in Nairobi on Saturday during the inaugural SPICY Awards 2026, an event that brought together individuals whose work is driving social, economic, cultural and community transformation. Held at Mageuzi Hub in Hurlingham, the awards marked the launch of a new platform dedicated to recognising people and organisations whose contributions are creating meaningful impact, often away from the mainstream spotlight. Organised by Spice Without Borders, the awards recognised changemakers across five broad categories: Activists, Creatives, Entrepreneurs, Initiators and Innovators. The categories encompass diverse fields including education, human rights, entrepreneurship, innovation, community development, social justice and environmental action. Anchored on the theme  “From the Margins to the Mainstage,”  the awards seek to provide visibility to individuals whose ...

By Wilson Amondo Lakehub Foundation was named Accelerator of the Year at the inaugural SPICY Awards 2026 in Nairobi, in recognition of its contribution to entrepreneurship, innovation and the growth of grassroots enterprises in Kenya. The Kisumu based organisation emerged under the Entrepreneurs category, which recognises purpose driven enterprises creating meaningful value and advancing sustainable development. The citation commended Lakehub Foundation for turning purpose, vision and opportunity into ventures capable of generating lasting impact, while creating pathways for grassroots and purpose driven entrepreneurs to access support, networks and opportunities. Lakehub Foundation received Winner Certificate No. SA26W ENT 00105 during the ceremony held on September 12, 2026. The recognition was conferred by the SPICY Awards 2026 Awarding Board, with the certificate signed by Daniel Juma Omondi, Chair of the Awarding Board, and Erick Inghatt Matsanza, Project E...

By Wilson Amondo Kisumu County Chief Officer for Education, Technical Training, Innovation and Social Services Eng. Bovince Ochieng has been honoured for creating pathways that equip young people with the skills, opportunities and confidence needed to participate meaningfully in employment, entrepreneurship and civic life. Ochieng received the Development of the Young Workforce Award at the inaugural SPICY Awards 2026 in Nairobi, with the citation recognising his efforts to turn purpose into action and promote grassroots changemaking through education, organisation, leadership and collaboration . The citation further recognised his contribution to creating opportunities through which people, communities and institutions can grow and thrive, particularly by helping young people develop skills and access opportunities that can improve their economic prospects.The recognition comes as Ochieng continues to play a key role in Kisumu County’s efforts to strengthen edu...

By Wilson Amondo South Sudanese-born author, poet and storyteller Akol Miyen Kuol has been honoured with the Authorship and Creative Writing Award at the inaugural SPICY Awards 2026 held in Nairobi. Kuol received the recognition under the SPICY Awards Creatives category, which celebrates individuals whose work in creativity, culture, entrepreneurship, advocacy and innovation contributes to positive social change. The award recognises Kuol’s contribution to authorship, creative writing, storytelling and cultural expression, with his work standing out for its ability to inspire audiences, preserve identity and give prominence to voices and experiences that deserve greater visibility. His recognition was accompanied by Certificate No. SA26H-CRE-00101, citing the wider social influence of his creative work and its ability to build connections across communities and cultures. The citation further recognised creativity as an important instrument for shaping culture, i...

By Wilson Amondo  NAIROBI, Kenya – September 11, 2026 – Millicent Okumu, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Agriflex Ltd, is set to showcase the company’s innovative approach to transforming Africa’s agricultural value chains at the 3rd Edition of Dairytech Africa, Foodtec Africa Expo and the National Agribusiness Summit, being held from September 9–11, 2026, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi. The three co-located events bring together key players across the dairy, food processing, manufacturing, packaging and agribusiness sectors, creating a platform for industry leaders, investors, policymakers, farmers and technology providers to explore solutions capable of strengthening Africa’s food systems. Under Ms. Okumu’s leadership, Agriflex Ltd is positioning technology, flexible financing and farmer-focused solutions as key drivers of agricultural transformation. The company is working across the value chain to help smallholder farmers o...

  The 9th edition of the Aviation Africa Summit & Exhibition – Aviation Africa 2026 officially opened in Nairobi on Wednesday, bringing together key players from across Africa’s aviation industry to address the continent’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. The two-day summit, running from September 9–10, 2026, has brought together airlines, regulators, aircraft lessors, financiers, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers, training institutions and other aviation stakeholders. Discussions on the opening day focused on safety, human capital, access to finance, market liberalisation and the wellbeing of aviation professionals, with industry leaders calling for urgent action to unlock Africa’s aviation growth potential. Although Africa currently accounts for only about 2–2.5 percent of global aviation activity, speakers noted that the continent needs sustained double-digit annual growth to significantly increase its share of the global avi...

 Africa’s aviation industry must urgently address rising insurance premiums, critical skills shortages and fragmented airspace if the continent is to expand its share of global air traffic, delegates heard during an international aviation summit in Nairobi. Speaking at the summit, Faude Adanhounsounou of MACH AERO PARTNERS said Africa’s aviation sector must move beyond simply increasing capacity and focus on making existing and future infrastructure more efficient, resilient and competitive. “The question is no longer only how to develop more aviation capacity, but how to make existing and future capacity more efficient, resilient and competitive,” Faude said. Through MACH AERO PARTNERS, Faude is championing the use of aviation expertise, strategic thinking, innovation and digital technologies to help industry stakeholders turn structural challenges into measurable business value. He said technologies including artificial intelligence, data analytics, digita...

By Wilson Amondo  NAIROBI, Kenya – September 8, 2026 — Nairobi must embrace integrated planning, innovation and co-creation to address its growing urban challenges and prepare for a future population of between 10 and 20 million residents, Prof. Vincent Kitio of UN-Habitat has said. Speaking during the Nairobi Biennale 2026 and ahead of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) Annual Convention 2026, Prof. Kitio said Nairobi’s rapid growth should be viewed not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity to build a more resilient and sustainable city. The Nairobi Biennale is being held from September 7–11, 2026, at the ASK Showground, Jamhuri Park, under the theme “Shifting the Built Environment: From Fragility to Resilience.” Exhibition entry is free, with registration required. Prof. Kitio emphasized the need for inclusive urban planning that ensures private developments also generate value for surrounding communities. “While they are making their ow...

By Wilson Omondi  Nairobi, Kenya – September 8, 2026 — Community leaders and residents of Mathare are calling for stronger partnerships between communities, government, institutions and development partners to accelerate efforts to restore the Mathare River. The call comes as Nairobi hosts the Nairobi Biennale 2026 and the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) Annual Convention 2026, taking place under the theme “Shifting the Built Environment: From Fragility to Resilience.” The Nairobi Biennale is running from September 7–11, 2026, at the ASK Showground, Jamhuri Park, bringing together professionals, communities, government representatives and development partners to explore practical solutions for building more resilient urban environments. Exhibition entry is free, with registration required. Among the community voices featured at the Biennale is Lilian Akinyi, a Mathare resident and advocate for the restoration of the Mathare River. Akinyi said pollut...

By Wilson Omondi  NAIROBI, KENYA – September 7, 2026 — The Technopolis Development Authority (TDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government Digital Transformation (GDT) Office/eGov and Equiditi, marking a significant step towards strengthening collaboration in Kenya’s digital transformation agenda. The partnership is aimed at supporting the adoption, hosting and scaling of the open-source DIGIT Platform in Kenya, while creating opportunities to accelerate digital transformation initiatives at both the national and county levels. Through the MoU, the three partners will collaborate in the exchange of technical expertise, strengthening stakeholder engagement and exploring opportunities to develop sustainable digital public infrastructure (DPI) solutions that can support efficient and inclusive delivery of public services. The collaboration will also provide a framework for identifying opportunities for the commercial application of th...

Mawlid Celebrations in Nairobi Promote Unity, Humanity and Peace NAIROBI, KENYA – Muslims in Nairobi have joined millions of faithful around the world in commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad during annual Mawlid celebrations, also known as Zefe. The celebrations, organized by the Nairobi Muslim Badalla Jamat, brought together Muslim scholars, community leaders and faithful to reflect on the life, teachings and legacy of Prophet Muhammad. The gathering emphasized the importance of peace, compassion, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds. Speaking during the celebrations, Chairman of the Nairobi Muslim Badalla Jamat, Arif Juneja, said the community is committed to strengthening Islamic education and promoting values that contribute to a peaceful and united society. Juneja said one of the community's key priorities is to establish and support more madrassas, where young people can be taught not only...