Tag Archives: Ruto

AMA, Health

Welcome to Nairobi—let’s build together at World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026

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Geneva, Switzerland, 24 April 2026- /African Media Agency (AMA)/- World Health Organization (WHO) is poised to be a significant presence at the upcoming World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. For the first time at either a global or regional level, WHO is co-organizing a meeting with the World Health Summit. This initiative has been spearheaded by WHO in the African region and is the result of an innovative partnership with WHS and Aga Khan University, Kenya.

The regional meeting, taking place from 27‒29 April 2026, will bring together global health leaders, policymakers, researchers and development partners to advance solutions for stronger and more resilient health systems.

Hosted by WHS and Aga Khan University and held in partnership with WHO, the Ministry of Health in Kenya and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the meeting will bring together over 1000 delegates from around 50 countries, participating in 80 sessions focused on strengthening health systems resilience, advancing universal health coverage and accelerating innovation in global health.

WHO has been actively engaged in the development of 80% of the meeting sessions, helping shape an agenda which focuses on strengthening health systems resilience, advancing universal health coverage and accelerating practical solutions to emerging health challenges.

“The World Health Summit Regional Meeting will focus on a theme that is important for the continent of Africa. We will be looking at the rising burden of chronic disease, changing patterns of infectious diseases and the health financing landscape in Africa and beyond,” says Professor Lukoye Atwoli, Dean of Medical College East Africa at The Aga Khan University, Kenya, and President of WHS Regional Meeting 2026.

Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, is a keynote speaker in six high-level sessions, including the opening ceremony which will be attended by His Excellency Williams Ruto, President of Kenya. Dr Janabi will also be speaking at 4 sessions that are being led and organized by WHO in the African Region. Topics range from global health security, health financing, and digital health sovereignty to an important side event on the development of the WHO AFRO Regional Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and Vision 2035.

“The WHO Regional Office for Africa is honoured to co-convene this World Health Summit Regional Meeting. Over these three days we will consolidate proof and deepen resolve. We will leave with regional commitments that are global in ambition,” says Dr Janabi.

Aside from Dr Janabi, Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for the European Region, will attend the summit and give keynote speeches in several sessions. Eleven WHO programme directors from around the globe will attend as speakers and seven WHO staff are panel chairs for sessions. WHO has a confirmed speaker in 22 of the 80 sessions.

In total, almost 90 WHO staff are participating in the regional meeting. This includes around 20 support staff who will provide administrative, logistics and communications support to WHO speakers, chairs and other delegates. Staff are drawn from 4 country offices—Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Ghana—the three regional offices and WHO headquarters in Geneva.

The WHO exhibition booth promises to be a dynamic and meaningful space, featuring latest WHO publications, an interactive virtual reality installation which simulates polio vaccination in a community, and a demonstration of a WHO-developed AI application for emergency response.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of World Health Organisation.

The post Welcome to Nairobi—let’s build together at World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 appeared first on African Media Agency.

AMA, Business, Sports

Kenya’s Iconic Safari Rally Roars Again, Makes Classic Case for WRC Future

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Kenya’s President William Ruto takes a photo with drivers after the conclusion of the 2026 Safari Rally Kenya

NAIVASHA, Kenya, 18 March 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – The dust settled on another thrilling edition of the legendary Safari Rally Kenya as the third round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) concluded Sunday amid scenes of celebration across the Rift Valley.

Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston secured a historic maiden victory in the WRC, conquering the brutal terrain after four days of high drama on the toughest gravel rally in the world.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) WRT pair inherited the lead during a chaotic Saturday morning when multiple frontrunners retired in the killer Sleeping Warrior stage.

TGR team-mates Oliver Solberg, Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans, ran into trouble on the punishing SS13 section and the demanding transport section that followed.

Katsuta had deliberately adopted a cautious, survival-first approach as his peers bowed out all around him, and his strategy paid ultimate dividends.

After establishing an overnight lead of over a minute and 25 seconds at the end of Day 3, the popular Japanese ace nursed his GR Yaris Rally 1 in Sunday’s four stages to clinch his biggest WRC career win by 27.4s.

M-Sport’s Jon Armstrong leaves a trail of dust behind as fans watch on at the 2026 Safari Rally Kenya

Kenyan President William Ruto attended the closing ceremony in Naivasha, praising the event’s global significance and offering reassurance about the country’s commitment to keeping the iconic event on the world stage.

“The Safari Rally is part of Kenya’s sporting heritage and a global showcase for our country,” said President Ruto.

He added: “The participation of fans from across the East African Community has elevated the Safari Rally into a truly regional event. Your presence shows the power of sport to bring East Africa together.”

From the ceremonial flag-off on Thursday to the dramatic finale at Hell’s Gate National Park, tens of thousands of fans lined the stages across the Great Rift Valley, transforming the rally into a rolling festival of motorsport, colour and culture.

Scores of supporters gathered on rocky hilltops, dusty plains and river crossings to witness the world’s best rally drivers wrestle with the brutal conditions that make the Safari Rally unique.

For drivers, the rally delivered exactly what its reputation promises: adventure, endurance and breathtaking beauty.

Irish Rally Academy Driver Josh McErlean navigates his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 through the mud at the 2026 Safari Rally Kenya

Competitors carved through choking clouds of ‘fesh-fesh’ dust, thundered across rocky escarpments and plunged through muddy water crossings as the Rift Valley’s scenic landscapes provided a breathtaking backdrop to the action.

The legendary stages, including the unforgiving plains of Soysambu and the winding roads beneath the Sleeping Warrior delivered mechanical failures and punctures that humbled the world’s best rally machines.

Throw in the unpredictable weather to the mix, sudden rains interchanging with baking sunshine, left competitors to contend with muddy and dusty sections that broke their cars and brought out their best driving skills.

On offer were trophies and points in the WRC1, WRC2 and WRC3 global categories as well as the African national championships.

Behind the WRC contenders, local drivers thrilled home fans who gathered in huge numbers across spectator zones stretching from Naivasha to Elementaita to cheer them on.
Rally veteran Carl Tundo, who now serves as the Head of Secretariat for the WRC Safari Rally, praised the scale of support from fans across the region.

“What we have witnessed this week – the crowds, the passion, the atmosphere – shows just how much this rally means to Kenya and to the entire East African region,” he said.

“Our focus now is to build on that momentum and continue raising the standard of the Safari Rally so that it grows even stronger for teams, fans and partners in the years ahead,” added the five-time winner of the WRC Safari Rally.

SportPesa Racing driver Leonardo Varese navigates a rough section of the course during the 2026 Safari Rally Kenya

For title contenders in the WRC, the Safari Rally once again proved why it is widely regarded as the most demanding round of the season.

Toyota, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT and M-Sport Ford Puma WRT crews were forced to adapt to rapidly changing conditions, where a single puncture or suspension failure ended podium challenges in seconds.

Corporate partners also embraced the carnival atmosphere, with fan zones and entertainment areas set up by sponsors throughout Naivasha.

SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri hailed the rally’s ability to unite fans across the continent.
“The Safari Rally is a celebration of Kenya, of Africa and of the incredible passion our people have for sport,” Karauri said.

He added: “The energy we’ve seen from fans this week shows why this rally deserves to remain a permanent fixture on the global motorsport calendar.”

As engines fell silent in Naivasha, Nakuru County, on Sunday attention now turns to the future of the iconic event.

The current contract to keep the Safari Rally in the WRC ended this year and discussions on a renewal are expected to gather momentum in the coming months.

Many across Kenya and the wider East African region hope the extraordinary turnout has once again demonstrated why the Safari Rally belongs on the global championship calendar.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of WRC

The post Kenya’s Iconic Safari Rally Roars Again, Makes Classic Case for WRC Future appeared first on African Media Agency.

Health

Kenya’s Ruto demands permanent African seat on the Security Council, highlights support for Haiti

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Kenyan President William Ruto told world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership of the Security Council is “unacceptable, unfair and grossly unjust.”

Lifestyle

Kenya welcomes Finnish President Stubb for state visit

Maravi Post Reporter

Finland’s president Alexander Stubb’s is on a three-day state visit to Kenya, the first ever by a Finnish head of state to the African country.

On Monday, Kenya and Finland signed two agreements on political consultations, peace mediation, and conflict resolution.

Speaking during a news conference after bilateral talks, Stubb and his Kenyan counterpart President William Ruto reaffirmed their joint commitment to the implementation of the Kenya-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement, which came into force in July 2024.

Stubb lauded Kenya as a country with a global voice on peace and conflict resolution.

“Whether it is Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine or whether it’s issues in the Middle East, Kenya has always been one of those pillars of peace and that is why I’m especially happy that we have signed the memorandum of understanding linked to peace mediation,” Stubb said.

Stubb added he was also seeking closer economic cooperation with Kenya.

“I’m also happy that we have a big business delegation here today because I do think that driving business interests, cooperation is a good way forward,”

Ruto for his part added Finland’s expertise in education, technology, renewable energy and climate action “aligns closely with Kenya’s development priorities.”

Source: Africanews

https://video.euronews.com/mp4/ED/14/71/04/03/ED_PYR_1471043_20250512155613.mp4
Lifestyle

Kenyan lawmaker shot dead in apparent assassination in Nairobi

Maravi Post Reporter

A Kenyan opposition legislator was shot dead in the capital Nairobi in what police have described as a “targeted and premeditated” crime.

MP Charles Were was shot on Wednesday night after his car stopped at a roundabout on a busy major road.

President William Ruto urged police to conduct a “thorough investigation” and said Thursday that those responsible “must be held to account.”

He was in the company of his driver and bodyguard when a motorcycle taxi approached their car, and a passenger disembarked and approached their car before firing at the MP, police said in a statement.

The legislator was reelected in 2022 to represent Kasipul constituency in western Kenya for the Orange Democratic Movement party.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga described Were as a “gallant son of the soil.”

Odinga was President Ruto’s main challenger in the 2022 general election.

Political tensions in Kenya have simmed down since last year, when the country saw a series of opposition-backed anti-government protests during which dozens of people died. Ruto later appointed members of Odinga’s party to the cabinet, and the two leaders signed a political pact in March this year.

Source: Africanews

Regional

Kenya: Deputy president faces impeachment vote in parliament

Maravi Post Reporter

Kenya’s deputy president Rigathi Gachagua is facing an impeachment proceeding with a vote likely to take place on Tuesday. Lawmakers plan to launch the impeachment proceedings against Gachagua who is accused of undermining the government. This could further worsen the current crisis within the Kenyan government triggered by months of unrest and protests by young […]

The post Kenya: Deputy president faces impeachment vote in parliament appeared first on Africa Feeds.

Source: Africa Feeds

Regional

Kenya’s top court rejects legal challenge to presidential election results

Maravi Post Reporter
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Kenya’s supreme court on Monday unanimously dismissed the legal challenge to last month’s presidential election results.

The Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the petition which was filed by several others including opposition leader, Raila Odinga.

Raila Odinga shortly after deputy president, William Ruto was declared winner of the election rejected the results and announced to contest it in court.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga who was making his fifth presidential bid had said that Deputy President William Ruto’s narrow win last month was due to massive fraud.

Four out of seven election commissioners disowned the result announced by the commission chairman, saying the tallying had been opaque.

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The Court last week laid out eight questions it will answer when ruling on the petition including whether the commission’s website was hacked.

The Supreme Court was also to decide if the polling station returns were interfered with and whether the postponement of eight gubernatorial and legislative elections disadvantaged any candidate.

In its ruling, the court said there wasn’t enough evidence to proof the claims of the petitioners. It therefore decided to uphold the declaration made by the election commission.

The Chief Justice Martha Koome delivered the decision of the seven-member panel.

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In 2017 the Supreme Court annulled President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory over Odinga because of procedural irregularities although Kenyatta prevailed in a re-run that Odinga boycotted.

But before the conclusion of that electoral process about 100 people were killed in election-related clashes that year.

Source: Africafeeds.com

 

Source: Africa Feeds

Regional

Kenya’s top court begins hearing presidential election petition

Maravi Post Reporter
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The presidential election petition challenging the outcome of Kenya’s August 9 presidential poll results has started.

The full hearing opened on Wednesday with lawyers representing opposition presidential candidates Raila Odinga first presenting their case.

The lawyers are seeking to nullify the declaration of William Ruto as president-elect. The judges gave them six hours to argue their case.

Mr Ruto’s lawyers and those representing the electoral commission will also have their day on Wednesday to provide their defence.

Kenya’s Supreme Court on Tuesday laid out eight questions it will answer when it rules on the petition. That will include whether the commission’s website was hacked.

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Odinga’s legal team is alleging that a team working for Ruto hacked into the election system and replaced genuine pictures of polling station result forms with fake ones but Ruto’s team has denied the allegations.

The election commission has filed competing responses, with three commissioners supporting the process and four questioning it.

The Supreme Court will also decide if the polling station returns were interfered with and whether the postponement of eight gubernatorial and legislative elections disadvantaged any candidate, said Chief Justice Martha Koome, the president of the seven-member court.

The verdict is expected to be out on 5 September with Kenyans keenly following the televised petition hearing.

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Meanwhile, scrutiny and recounting of votes in 15 polling stations where the credibility of the final tally was contested is being carried out at the court house.

Kenya: Raila Odinga rejects presidential election results

Source: Africafeeds.com

Source: Africa Feeds

Regional

Kenya: Raila Odinga files legal challenge to election results

Maravi Post Reporter
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Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga on Monday filed a legal challenge to results of this month’s presidential election in the Supreme Court.

He rejected the presidential election results announced last week by election officials.

The country’s deputy President William Ruto was declared winner of the country’s presidential election held on August 9.

Kenya’s top election official announced that William Ruto won the presidential election with 50.49% of the vote as against 48.5% secured by opposition leader Raila Odinga.

But Odinga told a news conference that he can’t accept the results and will be challenging it constitutionally, describing the results as illegal and unconstitutional, null and void.

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On Monday, his legal team said a formal legal challenge has been made. “What we did this morning is to file the online copy,” lawyer Daniel Maanzo told Kenyan local TV channel adding that “After today there will be four days for the other parties to reply.”

Petitioners were required to submit their complaint to the Supreme Court within seven days of the results being declared.

What happens next is a status conference by the court with all parties to define the hearing schedule and ground rules.

The constitution requires the nation’s highest court to issue its decision within 14 days of the lawsuit being filed.

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Odinga was making a fifth attempt at the presidency with the backing of his former rival and outgoing president, Uhuru Kenyatta.

In 2017, the Supreme Court overturned the election result and ordered a re-run when Odinga challenged those results.

Kenya: Raila Odinga rejects presidential election results

Source: Africafeeds.com

Source: Africa Feeds

Regional

Kenya: Raila Odinga rejects presidential election results

Maravi Post Reporter
– –

Kenya’s opposition leader, Raila Odinga has rejected the presidential election results announced on Monday by election officials.

The country’s deputy President William Ruto was declared winner of the country’s presidential election held on August 9.

Kenya’s top election official announced that William Ruto won the presidential election with 50.49% of the vote as against 48.5% secured by opposition leader Raila Odinga.

But Odinga told a news conference that he can’t accept the results and will be challenging it constitutionally.

He described the results as illegal and unconstitutional and said they were null and void.

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Slow progress by the electoral commission in tallying last week Tuesday’s vote had sparked anxiety in the country as citizens waited long hours and days to know who their next president will be.

Many were hoping Monday’s announcement doesn’t spark electoral violence as witnessed in the past disputed elections.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has served his two-term limit, fell out with Ruto after the last election and endorsed Odinga for president.

Odinga was running for president under the Azimio La Umoja (Declaration of Unity) Alliance, which includes Kenyatta’s Jubilee party.

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He is a former cabinet minister and prime minister and this was his fifth attempt at becoming President.

Ruto who headed the Kenya Kwanza (Kenya First) Alliance, served as a lawmaker and minister for agriculture before becoming deputy president.

Kenya: William Ruto declared winner of presidential election

Source: Africafeeds.com

Source: Africa Feeds