Guinness World Records has ratified environmental activist Truphena Muthoni’s record of a 72-hour tree-hugging marathon. The record was first broken in 2024 by Uganda’s Faith Patricia Ariokot with a time of 16 hours and 6 seconds. Ariokot’s record was then broken by Ghana’s Abdul Hakim Awal in 2024 with 24 hours, 21 minutes and 4 seconds. In her first attempt in February 2025, Truphena first took the title with a total of 48 hours. Ghana’s Frederick Boakye then briefly held the record with a time of 50 hours 2 minutes and 28 seconds, before Truphena took it back with her…
Author: Bridgette Atieno
President William Ruto has appointed Mama Ida Odinga as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Program, headquartered in Gigiri, Nairobi. However, the nomination is pending Parliamentary approval, as is required by the Constitution. If approved, Ida will replace Ababu Namwamba, who was re-appointed to the Ugandan Embassy in changes announced a day ago. Ida is the widow of the late Kenyan Prime Minister and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party leader, who died on October 15, 2025.
The United States of America has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organisation after 78 years. This comes a year after President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order pledging to leave the global body on his first day in office. The U.S. government has terminated its funding to the organization had recalled all assigned federal employees and contractors from WHO’s Geneva headquarters and its offices worldwide. While ordering the exit last year, Trump cited mismanagement of Covid-19 Pandemic response as the key reason of his exit. The move has been termed by experts as ‘risky’.
The Kenya Sugar Board has insisted that the sugar pricing will remain stable despite concerns of supply strains. In a statement to newsrooms, Board Chair Jude Chesire says sugar production in 2025 was 613, 000 metric tonnes against a demand of 1.2 metric tonnes, which was a 25% decline from 815, 000 in 2024. “Kenya’s sugar demand continues to grow annually, driven by population growth and consumption trends. Ensuring stability of supply is therefore a national priority,” Chesire says. The reduced output has been attributed to the poor weather conditions in late 2025, deliberate protection of future cane, and structural…
Nedbank of South Africa has expressed its intention to acquire a 66 per cent controlling stake of NCBA. The deal will cost the Johannesburg Securities Exchange listed lender an estimated Ksh110.4B (13.9B Rands) In a statement to newsrooms, NCBA says it has received an offer and will be looking at it. If successful, NCBA’s remaining 34 per cent shareholding will still trade at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, the lender says. “The proposed transaction structure will see NCBA shareholders who participate in the TenderOffer receive 20 per cent of their consideration in cash, while the remaining 80 per cent will be…
Standard Chartered has appointed Dalu Ajene as the Chief Executive Officer of the Bank’s operations in Africa. He will also head the Coverage for Africa. Before the appointment, Dalu served as the CEO of Standard Chartered Nigeria, a role he assumed in April 2024. Under his leadership, he is credited with leading the Bank to achieve strong year-on-year financial performance, including meeting the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) recapitalisation requirement of ₦200 billion for national commercial banks ahead of the March 2026 deadline. Before joining Standard Chartered, he was the CEO of Rand Merchant Bank Nigeria. The appointment of Dalu,…
The Kenya Revenue Authority surpassed its collection target in December 2025, mainly in customs collection, as a result of an exponential rise in oil taxation. This was after the taxman collected Sh 307.634 billion against a target of Sh 284.969 billion, representing a performance rate of 108.0 per cent and a growth of 29.3 per cent. “This historic performance is largely attributed to strong growth in oil taxes, which grew by 23.9 per cent and recorded a performance rate of 103.7 per cent,” the taxman says. In the same month, Customs recorded the highest monthly collection in KRA’s history, bringing…
TikTok’s 2026 Trend Report has shown a shift towards authentic human instincts in a fast-paced digital world. According to the recently released report, users prefer raw, humorous real-life shares, favoring messy authenticity over aspirational narratives and fantasy. “Polished stories now feel distant, while lived-in ones build closeness. Marketers should listen to comments and culture, adapting content reactively rather than broadcasting,” the report states. Therefore, the report recommends that brands embrace non-linear paths to avoid invisibility. Surprisingly, impulse purchases have faded as buyers have now shifted to seeking meaning, proof from tastemakers, and community validation. ‘Context trumps price, shifting marketing from…
Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is projected at between 4.8 per cent and 5.2 per cent. This is according to a new Ipsos Executive Outlook in a report dubbed ‘Kenya 2026: PESTEL Outlook and Sector Implications’. According to the report, Kenya is to remain among Africa’s most attractive growth markets but only for businesses that adapt to a new era defined by affordability, legitimacy, and digital transformation. “Kenya’s growth story endures, but only for those who bet on adaptation,” the report states. The report also names fintech, energy transition, FMCG, telecommunications, and healthcare as sectors expected to thrive, with…