On Wednesday, February 25, local newspapers highlighted growing concerns about the use of hired thugs in Kenyan politics, even as attention turned to the political choices of Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna.
Source: UGC
1. The Star
According to the newspaper, the electoral body has raised concerns about a growing trend that could change the way Kenyans vote, the use of mobile phones inside polling stations.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) now says it may be forced to regulate the use of mobile phones after voters were caught taking pictures of marked ballot papers and sharing them online.
The events were reported during the November 27, 2025 by-election, causing alarm within the commission.
IEBC chairman Erustus Ethekon warned that the conduct threatens the essence of democratic elections.
He noted that the secrecy of the vote is not voluntary; is a constitutional right protected under Articles 38(3)(b) and 81(e)(i). Any act that compromises that confidentiality, including taking pictures of a marked ballot, undermines the integrity of the election.
In addition to breaking the law, the commission fears that the procedure could open the door to voter coercion, undue influence and even vote buying.
A photographed ballot may be the evidence needed by those who want to manipulate the results.
To reduce the evil, IEBC says it will introduce administrative control in polling stations. The measures, Ethekon stressed, are not intended to intimidate the voters but to protect them and protect the process.
As the country heads into yet another by-election on Thursday, the warning sends a clear signal: the vote remains private and must remain so.
2. Daily Nation
According to the newspaper, 33-year-old Festus Arasa Omwamba has emerged as a controversial figure who is now on the radar of police and intelligence agencies over a series of serious allegations, including the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian army.
Within nine months, Omwamba has been accused of defrauding job seekers, trying to get money from the deceased’s bank account and running an unlicensed recruitment agency.
A National Intelligence Service (NIS) dossier presented to parliament on February 18 alleged that his company, Global Face Human Resources Ltd, helped recruit at least 1,000 Kenyans to fight in Russia’s war with Ukraine.
It is alleged that the employees were promised signing bonuses of between KSh910,000 and KSh1.2 million, an amount that reportedly attracted even former police and army officers.
The report further alleged that Omwamba facilitated accommodation, opening bank accounts and transport, often moving the recruits through Turkey or the UAE before entering Russia.
It is reported that some victims believed they were headed for civilian jobs, but found themselves being pushed into military service.
Since then the authorities have issued an order preventing him from leaving the country. However, it has been revealed that Omwamba traveled to Russia last year, where he claims to work as a sanitation supervisor.
He denies sending Kenyans to the battlefield, insisting that those who signed up did so voluntarily.
His expected return in mid-March coincides with a High Court case where he is seeking anticipatory bail to avoid arrest.
At the same time, the bank accounts connected to him and his associates have been blocked, and the investigation is ongoing.
3. Nation Today
Kiswahili newspaper reports that Linda Mwananchi Initiative, a breakaway group of ODM led by a Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifunais about to work with the United Opposition in efforts to oust President William Ruto from power in 2027.
Sifuna has indicated that his days in the Orange party are numbered, declaring that removing Ruto from power will require a planned and united strategy. Speaking during a televised interview, he stressed that the opposition must offer a “strong rejection” of the president, saying that small victories are not enough. The movement and the United Opposition share the slogan “Wantam”, indicating a common drive to make Ruto a one-term leader.
While recognizing Ruto’s political power, Sifuna warned that division within the opposition could give it away Kenya First easy way to victory. He hinted at building an organized coalition, saying his camp is organizing itself before taking concrete steps.
The Linda Mwananchi wave, supported by the likes of Godfrey Osotsi, Babu Owino, Caleb Amisi and the Governor of Siaya James Orengohas quickly transformed from a grassroots call to “protect the citizenry” to a national force creating an anti-Ruto narrative.
Analysts say the movement gives strength and danger to the broader opposition: it can boost numbers but also complicate the leadership’s calculations.
The United Opposition, which has now been renamed the United Alternative Government, is bringing together heavyweights including Rigathi GachaguaKalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang’i, Martha Karua and Eugene Wamalwa. However, questions about who will carry the presidential flag are still unresolved.
With meetings increasing in key areas, the common message of the opposition is unity. But behind the scenes, ambitions and shifting alliances continue to test whether that unity can last.
4. The Standard
According to this newspaper, the government is quietly reconsidering a new multi-billion dollar deal with India’s Adani Group for the improvement of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), even as it officially confirmed that the original KSh230 billion deal was scrapped.
Appearing before the High Court on Tuesday, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) lawyer Benson Odiwuor told Justice Bahati Mwamuye that the original contract had been terminated.
He said an official letter of cancellation has now been filed in court, fulfilling President William Ruto’s promise of November 21, 2024 to cancel the complex 30-year lease arrangement.
But the cancellation, it emerged, may not be the end of Adani’s involvement.
Odiwuor pleaded with the court to vacate the protection order issued in November 2024, saying it now prevents the government from initiating a new process with the same company.
He emphasized that the existing order has blocked the improvement plans at the country’s main international gateway.
The original contract, launched in March 2024, would see Adani invest more than KSh230 billion in upgrading and managing JKIA over three decades.
In return, the company would retain an 18% stake in the airport’s aviation business and receive a concession fee starting at KSh6 billion, increasing by 10% every five years.
The plan collapsed due to public outcry over transparency, parliamentary oversight and independence concerns.
However, Judge Mwamuye refused to remove the orders, directing the parties to expedite the case before a new judge on May 6, 2026.
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