The Star leads with an analysis of the opposition’s shaky ground ahead of 2027. Despite ambitions, the opposition has yet to penetrate nearly half of the country’s 47 counties, a weakness that analysts say could hurt their bargaining power. The paper also highlights growing tensions within the Deputy President’s camp, with leaders from Western Kenya, led by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and CS Wycliffe Oparanya, staking their claim to the DP slot. This pits Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka’s axis against an emboldened Western bloc, signaling a stormy succession battle. On a lighter note, The Star celebrates young women like Sharon Mbola from Wajir, who are rewriting Kenya’s tech future through coding initiatives.
Taifa Leo takes a hard-hitting regional angle, reporting that Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has sued Kenyan ministers Musalia Mudavadi and Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing them of colluding in his abduction in Nairobi last year. The paper also tells human-interest stories, including an 18-year-old who turned to TikTok to raise funds for his ailing father, a grieving family that lost 14 relatives in a grisly accident, and counties clashing with Interior CS Kindiki over e-procurement systems.
The Standard focuses on a tribute to Professor Arthur Obel, a controversial but brilliant scientist who once claimed to have developed an HIV/AIDS cure. The obituary revisits his scientific genius, eccentricities, and controversies, framing him as both visionary and villain. Elsewhere, the paper flags unease over rising state surveillance and celebrates a High Court ruling that bodies cannot be detained over unpaid hospital bills.
Daily Nation balances tragedy and achievement. The front pages mourn families shattered by deadly road crashes that have pushed 2025’s fatality numbers above last year’s, while also spotlighting Susan Wanjiru, who lost 16 relatives in a single accident. In sports, the Nation celebrates Lilian Odira’s stunning 800m victory, where she smashed a 42-year-old record. On policy, the paper warns of looming economic pain as the expiry of AGOA could triple tariffs on Kenyan exports to the US, threatening thousands of jobs.