Author: By Stephen Rutto

I'm ready to face off with Ruto in 2027, Owalo says

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Audio By Vocalize Former ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo says he is not President William Ruto’s project in Nyanza. [File, Standard] Former ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has said he is ready to square it out with President William Ruto in the 2027 presidential elections. Speaking during an interview on a Kalenjin vernacular radio station on Wednesday, Owalo, who quit as Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Performance and Delivery Management said he was not President Ruto’s project in Nyanza. “I am not a William Ruto project. I worked with him at a time when leaders from my region…

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Bishop Kimengich tells government to stop the culture of goons

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Audio By Vocalize Head of Eldoret Diocese Bishop Dominick Kimengich. [Peter Ochieng, Standard] Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret Dominic Kimengich has asked state agencies to restore order following incidents of goons attacking political leaders and perceived critics.  Kimengich, who is the Coadjutor Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Mombasa, said in Eldoret that the culture of intolerance in the country’s politics was taking Kenya back to dark days.  According to Bishop Kimengich, the wave of violence witnessed in political rallies in recent days was “a depiction of the Kenya we don’t want.”  Speaking during the inauguration of a new Eldoret City…

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Leaders defend push to reduce maize acreage in country's breadbasket

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Audio By Vocalize Maize plantation in Uasin Gishu County, on May 31, 2023. [File, Standard] A push to reduce maize acreage in parts of Uasin Gishu that have produced grain for decades is gaining momentum despite calls for the status quo in Kenya’s breadbasket. County officials have maintained that acres of land under maize are getting replaced by other cash crops, a move that has sparked fears of less ugali on dinner tables soon. On Tuesday, Uasin Gishu County rolled out registration of farmers who are seeking to grow one million trees in farms at the onset of the planting…

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Bishop Kimengich: Heads to Mombasa after witnessing bandits' terror in Turkana and Marakwet

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Head of Eldoret Diocese Bishop Dominick Kimengich and KTN reporter Elvis Kosgey after briefing the media about his spiritual journey from Eldoret to Mombasa County. January 20, 2026. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]  One Sunday in 2013, a gunman opened fire as Bishop Dominic Kimengich was celebrating Mass in Todonyang, near the Kenya–Ethiopia border. The bullet struck a worshipper, ending the Bishop’s mission that day. Fact‑first reporting that puts you at the heart of the newsroom. Subscribe for full access. Continue Reading Unlimited access to all premium content Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience Mobile-optimized reading experience Weekly Newsletters MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted Already a subscriber? Log…

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Why Rift Valley politicians are fighting over kingpin role

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Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago. [File, Standard] A declaration by Talai elder Christopher Koyogi that Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and Emurua Dikir MP Johanna Ngeno were Kalenjin kingpins has kicked up a storm in Rift Valley. Remarks by the Talai community vice chairman have triggered a succession battle to replace President William Ruto as Kalenjin political supremo. Uncover the stories others won’t tell. Subscribe now for exclusive access Continue Reading Unlimited access to all premium content Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience Mobile-optimized reading experience Weekly Newsletters MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted Already a subscriber? Log in `; } else…

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Oscar Sudi: The new political bully or loyal foot soldier?

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Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi. [File, Standard] Controversial Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi is a man on a mission. Over the past three years, the outspoken lawmaker has been on a collision course with fellow legislators from the North Rift. He has been accused by a section of MPs from the region and their allies of bullying elected peers, acting as a political prefect and campaigning against them ahead of the 2027 General Election. Uncover the stories others won’t tell. Subscribe now for exclusive access Continue Reading Unlimited access to all premium content Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience Mobile-optimized reading experience Weekly Newsletters…

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Ruto slams Gachagua over national schools placement

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President William Ruto has told off his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua, over his remarks that national schools in the central region were not admitting local students. Ruto described the remarks as desperate and told the impeached Deputy President to look for a serious agenda to sell to Kenyans. The President and the opposition had resorted to dividing young Kenyans through the politicisation of education. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp According to Ruto, the Gachagua-led united opposition was using ethnic balkanization in what he described as a desperate push to rise to power. “You want to divide children in schools.…

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Family raises foul play suspicions in death of Former Likuyani MP Kibunguchy

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Former CS Eugene Wamalwa consoles family members of former Likuyani MP Enoch Kibunguchy outside Eldoret Hospital. [Stephen Rutto, Standard] The family of the immediate former Likuyani MP, the late Enoch Kibunguchy, yesterday claimed that the politician’s death on Monday night was suspicious. Kibunguchy, who served as MP for Lugari between 2003 and 2007 before coming back as Likuyani lawmaker between 2013 and 2022, passed away while receiving treatment at the Eldoret Hospital on Monday night. .fade-out-overlay { position: absolute; top: -80px; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 60px; z-index: 1; background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0), rgba(255, 255, 255, 1));…

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Chandaria Foundation, Standard Group donate to mudslide victims

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Dr Manu Chandaria with Standard Group acting CEO Chaacha Mwita at a past event in Nairobi. [File, Standard] The Manu Chandaria Foundation in partnership with Standard Media Group yesterday led relief efforts for victims of the November 2 mudslides in Elgeyo Marakwet as the death toll rose to 37. The foundation donated food worth Sh1 million to survivors of the Saturday morning disaster that struck Chesongoch, Murkutwa, Kabetwa and Embobut areas. According to an update from the Ministry of Interior, the death toll from the mudslides and rockfalls had risen to 37, with 11 people still missing.  Follow The Standard channel on…

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How banditry drove Marakwet families into a death trap: Inside the mudslide tragedy

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Section of the buildings  that were swept away at Chesongoch area by a landslide in Elgeyo Marakwet County last week. November 03, 2025. [Peter Ochieng, Standard] Locals who lived in the rolling fields of Kerio Valley were pushed by perennial cattle rustling raids to settle and farm on the Marakwet escarpments, causing mudslides that have so far claimed 36 lives, locals say. According to residents, the death trap that is the hanging valley can only be good for its scenery, punctuated by imposing rocks and ideal, perhaps, for movie filming, but not for settlements. .fade-out-overlay { position: absolute; top: -80px;…

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Fresh landslide kills two in Elgeyo Marakwet

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Locals mill around the scene of a devastating landslide that killed a grandmother and her grandchild at Kibendo village in Elgeyo Marakwet County on Sunday night. [Stephen Rutto, Standard] A fresh landslide has struck Elgeyo Marakwet as the search for missing people enters its third day following Saturday morning’s deadly mudslides. Authorities say the Sunday evening incident occurred after heavy rainfall in Kibendo village, Keiyo North sub-county. A grandmother and her grandchild were killed when a mudslide and a huge rock crashed into their home, Acting County Commissioner Julius Maiyo confirmed. Maiyo said the tragedy happened at around 8:30 pm…

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Government to cover medical, burial costs as Elgeyo Marakwet mudslide death toll rises

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Government to cover hospital, burial costs as Elgeyo Marakwet mudslide death toll rises. [Stephen Rutto] The government will fully cater for hospital and burial expenses for victims of the Elgeyo Marakwet mudslide tragedy, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has announced. “All the medical and burial expenses will be met by the government of Kenya. These are the instructions from President William Ruto,” the CS said, adding that all relevant ministries and agencies had been directed to support rescue and relief efforts. Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, reiterating Ruku’s remarks, noted that a multi-agency team, including the military, police, National Youth…

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Government to cover victims' bills as Elgeyo Marakwet death toll rises

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Government to cover hospital, burial costs as Elgeyo Marakwet mudslide death toll rises. [Stephen Rutto] The government will fully cater for hospital and burial expenses for victims of the Elgeyo Marakwet mudslide tragedy, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has announced. “All the medical and burial expenses will be met by the government of Kenya. These are the instructions from President William Ruto,” the CS said, adding that all relevant ministries and agencies had been directed to support rescue and relief efforts. Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, reiterating Ruku’s remarks, noted that a multi-agency team, including the military, police, National Youth…

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At least 10 killed as mudslides, rockfalls hit Elgeyo Marakwet

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Ten people killed, several others missing as heavy rains cause mudslides, rockfalls and flooding in Embobut and Murkutwa areas of Elgeyo Marakwet. [Stephen Rutto, Standard] At least 10 people have been confirmed dead after heavy rains triggered mudslides, rockfalls, and flooding in several parts of Elgeyo Marakwet County since Friday evening. The intense rains caused dangerous runoffs along the steep Kerio escarpment, sweeping debris into villages and flooding low-lying areas in the Kerio Valley. Authorities say several villages in Murkutwa and Embobut in Marakwet East have been marooned by debris and floodwaters. Elgeyo Marakwet Acting County Commissioner Julius Maiyo said…

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Ex-minister Jebii Kilimo joins UDA, declares bid for Marakwet East MP seat

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UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar (centre) welcomes former Marakwet East MP Linah Chebii to the party in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on October 13, 2025. [Peter Ochieng, Standard] Former Cabinet Minister Linah Jebii Kilimo on Monday declared her return to politics as she joined the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party. Kilimo, who served two terms during President Mwai Kibaki’s reign, said she looks to continue her mission to restore long-lasting peace in the Kerio Valley. Accompanied by hundreds of supporters, Kilimo declared interest in the Marakwet East parliamentary seat. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp She is credited for her…

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