Sunday Headline Newspaper: 11th October 2026; Daily Nation The Standard, Taifa Leo, PD

President William Ruto led Kenyans on Saturday, October 10, in planting trees in Trans Nzoia County as the country marked Mazingira Day, with the Government targeting 17.24 million trees during the week-long campaign. Ruto was joined by Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen at the national celebrations in Endebess.

Maurice Ogeta, the longtime bodyguard of the late former opposition leader Raila Odinga, has recounted an alleged assassination attempt on his former boss, who died a year ago.

In a candid interview with The Standard, Ogeta recalled Raila’s near-death experiences, recounted his own abduction by State operatives and described the emotional burden of protecting one of the most influential figures in opposition politics since independence.

Remembering Raila fondly as a friend, mentor and a “jewel” to the country, Ogeta described how violent rallies became a recurring threat to the former Prime Minister’s life, placing him and his security team in danger on several occasions.

Raila Odinga’s State-sponsored mausoleum was handed over to his family on Tuesday. Has the Kenyan State seemed to love Raila more in death than it did in life?

Despite their political fling and exaggerated public displays of amity during Raila’s final year, the truth is that President William Ruto built his political career on scoffing at Raila. He detested him with a deep-seated animosity, the kind he publicly displays towards Uhuru Kenyatta today.

The dispute over the use of the name Ukombozi Alliance between Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and a group that reserved the name last year has landed before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT).

The group, which describes itself as the founding members and proponents of the proposed Ukombozi People’s Party (UPP), wants the tribunal to declare the reservation and approval of The Ukombozi Alliance (TUA) by the Registrar of Political Parties unlawful, unreasonable, procedurally unfair and irrational.

Edwin Sifuna’s speech offers Kenya something more substantial than another declaration of political ambition. It presents a standard against which leadership should be judged: ideas, programmes, accountability and service. His promise to listen, consult, explain decisions and correct mistakes addresses the central failure of our politics.

The United States announcement of new sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), hours after the Nobel Peace Prize went to one of its former judges Navi Pillay, has provoked widespread international criticism. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would ban transactions with what he called a “rogue court”.