By Reporter

Mageta Island in Bondo, Siaya County, used to be engulfed in darkness once the sun had drifted into its hideout in the western fringes of the universe. This meant businesses were hastily shut early and residents rushed home to avoid whatever insecurity risks lurked in the dark.

But things have dramatically changed for the island following the implementation of the Sh232 million Mageta Solar Mini Grid.

“Mageta Island is now well lit. Before, this place was too dark,” says Danington Odhiambo, noting that the solar project has been a huge boost to the provision of healthcare services on the island.

“We are now able to order vaccines enough to last a month. This was not possible because we did not have sufficient power,” says Mr Odhiambo, a nurse at Mageta Health Centre, which serves a population of 7,022 and vaccinates 255 people monthly.

Milicent Achieng, an entrepreneur, says the solar-powered mini grid has transformed her business, enabling her to raise her income. “I now keep drinking water and soft drinks like soda in the fridge. This brings me customers who need cold drinks,” Ms Achieng enthuses.

The solar project, implemented by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), generates 802kw daily and has a capacity of 11,000kv. The project was commissioned by President Ruto in 2024 as part of the government’s push to expand access to clean and sustainable energy in underserved regions.

Once fully complete, the project will serve more than 1,400 households. The first phase has seen 890 homes connected to electricity, with the rest coming on board in the second phase. To ensure reliable power supply on the island during rainy seasons, a backup diesel generator and three lithium batteries are installed.

Nicholas Waga, who is in charge of the Mageta substation, says the project has immensely benefited the island community by enhancing job creation, enriching livelihoods and easing delivery of government services.

Schools, hospitals and a water project in the area are using the solar grid to power their activities. The hospital, Mr Waga notes, was previously unable to keep medicines which require cold storage.

“Take for example vaccines for children. They couldn’t be kept in adequate quantities, putting the lives of the children at risk,” Mr Waga says.

Zakary Otieno, a resident of Mageta, says the connection to the solar grid has positively impacted the face of the community in many ways. Children, he notes, can now do their school assignments at dusk, adding that previously the learners were using lamps that did not provide a conducive atmosphere for studies. Further, Mr Otieno says various enterprises are now thriving since the project came into being, noting that the development has opened up the area for increased trade.

“I can see the potential of this area being realised, with existing enterprises expanding and new ones being established,” Mr Otieno opines, expressing his appreciation for the government for implementing the project.

The connection to solar has seen businesses such as welding, salons and phone charging stations sprout. Young people, Mr Otieno says, are the key beneficiaries as they will be able to engage in self-employment.

“Ruto is the first president to bring this kind of development here,” Mr Otieno says. “We are very grateful, and we want to request him to expand the project to connect more places and spread the benefits to more people.”

Diverse enterprises on the island are also major beneficiaries of the project, with Waga noting that the residents used to obtain steel doors and windows from outside the island as there was no adequate supply of power for welding. Even women had to travel long distances to access salon services.

The schools are also undergoing a transformation thanks to the solarisation of the area. Before, they were using old typewriters, but now they have computers, easing generation of study materials and exams.

“The President is really changing the lives of our people. We can only urge him to implement phase two so that more people can enjoy such development,” Mr Waga says.

Francis Okoth, also a resident of Mageta, says the lighting of the area has beefed up security, noting that criminals no longer lurk in the dark.

The solar mini grid, he adds, is a boost to farmers as they are able to pump water into their farms. “Farmers can now grow a variety of crops in all seasons as they can irrigate their farms during a dry spell. This significantly boosts their livelihoods,” Mr Okoth says.

By Anderson Ojwang

A lonely voice of reason, in the midst of a storm, confusion, infighting and division, in the troubled waters of Kenya’s main opposition party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Wakili Millie Odhiambo, scorned and threatened with violence over her lonely voice of reason, has been vindicated by the reality check that has now emerged in the Linda Ground faction of Dr Oburu Oginga.

The Suba North MP, the lone voice of reason, has faced constant boos and threats from goons over her stand on issues in the party.

Millie, not new to controversy, was once recognized for her passionate and dedicated crusade for the rights of the girl child in the country.

The Kilifi ODM NEC and goons drama

The ODM National Executive Council which convened in Kilifi was a stab in the back of the founding party leader, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, when, despite protests from various quarters, they opted to sack the Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

In a scathing revelation, Millie said goons were transported from Nairobi to Kilifi and they even threatened to beat her up.

“I was shouted down by goons. There were goons who were brought from Nairobi to come and beat me up. When I told our people what I am telling you today, some goons were sent to beat me up in Kilifi,” she revealed.

In a statement after the meeting, the ODM read: “The Party National Executive Committee meeting in Mombasa today has resolved to relieve Secretary General Edwin Sifuna of his responsibilities with immediate effect. Effectively, Catherine Omanyo, who is one of the deputy secretaries general, will act in this position until a substantive holder of the office is elected.”

A besieged Oburu, in an earlier statement, said ODM was a members’ club and those in it must abide by the rules of membership.

The question, therefore, is: were the goons brought from Nairobi to Kilifi to humiliate Sifuna and the dissidents?

It is not lost on Kenyans how ODM has constantly deployed goons to harass and cause violence against dissenting voices in the party.

The first casualty was the Secretary General Langat Margerer, who was hounded out of office by goons after a party meeting at the ODM office in the Kilimani area of Nairobi.

Then Ababu Namwamba also faced a similar fate when the Men in Black scuttled the party’s National Delegates Conference, which was meant to elect new officials.

Sifuna was expected to be the next meal for the goons but evaded the beating after he failed to attend the Dr Oburu Oginga-led meetings.

Build the party or scatter all

Millie has argued that her concern was about building the party and not scattering the party members.

“If you see me remain calm, there is a reason. You only know half of what is happening. You do not know what is happening. When you see Millie restrained, there is a reason. I told our people that we should tread carefully. Let us first build the party and make it strong, so that when we go into negotiations, we negotiate from a point of strength,” she said.

Millie said she warned her fellow party officials against sacking and chasing Sifuna away from the party, and that politics is dynamic.

“I told them not to chase away Sifuna and that politics would determine his future, whether to stay or to go away. Because we do not know when we may need the Luhya community in future. What will we tell the Luhya community after we chased away their son? We will need their support in future, and we must be very careful,” she said.

Millie said instead of the party officials listening to her concerns and point of view, she was threatened.

“I was told, ‘Millie, we will beat you up properly.’ The goons told me to sit down and stop expressing contrary opinions to the members,” she said.

The party National Chairperson Gladys Wanga stoked the fire further by writing a show-cause letter to Sifuna asking why he should not be disciplined.

Wanga wrote the show-cause letter captioned “Notice to Show Cause.”

She said the NEC meeting of February 11th, 2026, resolved to initiate proceedings for Sifuna’s removal over alleged gross misconduct.

The charges include contradiction of party position, persistent public contradictions of party resolutions, further contradictory statements, establishment of parallel and unsanctioned political initiatives, other charges being failure to attend and participate in party meetings, and conduct prejudicial to the party.

“You are hereby required to show cause, in writing, within four days from the date hereof, and in any event not later than close of business on Wednesday, 8th April 2026, as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against you. Upon receipt and consideration of your response, appear before a constituted panel appointed by the NEC, in accordance with the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism for hearing and determination of this matter at 10.00 am, at a venue to be communicated in due course,” Wanga wrote.

The Linda Mwananchi shocker

Millie said her colleagues in the Linda Mwananchi rallies would only go for a week, and after that, Sifuna and his colleagues would be forgotten and things would fall into place.

“They said Sifuna would only have a week of rallies and that he was a passing cloud. When Millie said these things, they wanted to beat me up. At the Ciala meeting in Kisumu, I was booed. And now the reason why I was being booed are now the issues they are talking about. What I said previously and why I was shouted down is the current debate the party is advocating,” she said.

Last Sunday, Sifuna and Linda Mwananchi held a successful rally in Kisumu, and threats by Linda Ground to scuttle it failed miserably.

What next for Millie?

Millie is viewed as a sober and level-headed politician, and it may just be a matter of time before she joins the Linda Mwananchi wing.

By Anderson Ojwang

Return home. We miss you. Your development records speak. Son of Odiyo, we don’t want your money. That was the message from Uyoma to Asembo to the former area MP Raphael Tuju.

Tuju, who toured Uyoma and Asembo on Monday to listen to the ground and on a fact-finding mission, was humbled by the warm reception from the residents.

Tuju said he was not interested in being the senator because that office doesn’t bring development to the area.

“I have come to listen to the ground. I do not want to be a senator. Dr Oburu Oginga has been your senator for now, and there is no development attached to his name,” he said.

One of the elders, Mzee Otiieno, said that for two years before Tuju fell out with the ODM leadership, his development record cannot be matched.

“For two years before ODM started to fight you, Rarieda witnessed massive development. ODM spent time fighting you, and we lost development,” he said.

The residents credited Tuju with economic empowerment, education scholarships for students, and infrastructural development programmes.

The residents said they owe Tuju for his development projects in the area and do not want him to spend money on his campaigns.

They said Tuju should either go for the parliamentary or gubernatorial seat in 2027 to cash in on his development agenda.

Already, excitement has rocked Rarieda constituency after Tuju toured the area and is still in the village holding consultative meetings with opinion leaders.

If he decides to go for the Rarieda parliamentary seat, he will face off with the incumbent Dr Otiende Amollo and other lightweight aspirants.

Tuju recently paid a courtesy call on Siaya Governor James Orengo, where they held a consultative meeting.

On Sunday, he was in Kisumu where he joined Linda Mwananchi during their successful rally in the lake city.

Tuju received a heroic welcome, and his support for the faction was a shot in the arm and a major political optic for the team.

By Correspondent

The upgrade of the Migori Airstrip is set for completion this year, coming as a major boost for tourism, trade and travellers in Nyanza and the entire Western region.

Once complete by December, the airstrip, known as Lichota Airstrip, will be capable of handling half a million travellers annually. The upgrade will see the facility, whose works kicked off in September 2025, move from Class C to B, elevating it into an international airport. The airstrip’s terminal is being revamped at a cost of Sh300 million, while the runway is being extended from 1.8km to 2km.

The facility is expected to create jobs and spur overall economic growth in the Western region and the entire country. Migori County is betting on the project to attract more airlines, increase air traffic, and enhance connectivity to national and international destinations.

The airstrip has been receiving 12 flights daily, a number expected to significantly go up once the upgrade is done. Currently, it has one scheduled flight by Skyward airline but hosts several chartered flights.

A revamped Lichota Airstrip is a huge boost to visitors to the world’s popular tourist destinations comprising the Maasai Mara and Serengeti game parks, as well as Thim Lich Ohinga, the world’s heritage archaeological site in Migori. They will also use the airstrip to easily access attraction sites in Migori and Tanzania. Additionally, passengers will be able to travel seamlessly to Kisumu, Kisii and Homa Bay.

In addition to boosting passenger travel, the airport will ease the movement of cargo, mainly agricultural and fish produce, to various markets within the country and across borders. Further, it will directly connect Kenya and Tanzania, acting as a key trade enabler between the two countries.

Barnabas Nyonda, an officer in charge of the airstrip, says the facility will help reduce road traffic clearance at the border post into Tanzania.

“Travellers to Tanzania and Uganda will get clearance at the airstrip,” says Mr Nyonda, noting that it will be possible for passengers to fly directly to Johannesburg from Migori.

“We expect to see an increase in the number of tourists both at the national and county levels,” Mr Nyonda says, noting that Kenya can safeguard its stature as the gateway to the region by expanding connectivity internationally and locally.

Having faced many years of neglect, the airstrip had sunk into a state of disrepair, and the upgrade could not have come at a better time for travellers and traders.

“Before we embarked on the upgrade, there was a mini runway built way back in 1978,” says Mr Nyonda. “The runway was battered and kept making news for the wrong reasons.”

Even when it was in a poor state, he says the airstrip kept receiving tourism flights. Noting that the site office was too small to accommodate visitors, Nyonda says the airstrip lacked even a shelter for visitors when it rained, terming this “a shame.”

But people who will visit the facility come December will be surprised by the airstrip’s level of facelift, he says.

Site engineer Edwin Ondoro says there are about 100 people working on the project.

“The project is proceeding well. It has enabled a good number of people to earn a living,” Mr Ondoro notes.

Jacquline Adaro, one of the workers, says the project has given her an opportunity to earn a living. “I thank President William Ruto for this project. I can now put food on the table and meet other financial obligations,” she says.

One of the tourist sites looking to benefit from the revamped Migori airstrip is Ndere National Park in Seme, Kisumu County. The park boasts a wide range of animals including zebra, hippos, and crocodiles, and diverse species of birds. Others are waterbuck, warthog, monkey, and the rare sitatunga. It also offers a rich menu of activities comprising bird watching, boat riding and hiking, among other attractions.

Pauline Adhiambo, a warden, says the park receives many international visitors, adding that it has huge potential to attract a higher number of tourists and bring more benefits, including more jobs, to the region.

“The youth can be tour guides, taking visitors around with boats. By doing so, they earn directly from the park,” Ms Adhiambo says.

Aside from being home to a wide range of wild animals, Ndere National Park is a vantage point, overlooking beautiful scenery sweeping across the region. Patrick Kiboi, an assistant warden, says standing at some strategic locations at the park, one can command a breathtakingly panoramic view of Kisumu city and as far places as Homa Bay town and parts of Siaya.

By Hope Barbra

A blow to farmers after the government reduced the cane prices by Sh250 in what it termed as striking a balance between the millers and the farmers.

The government revised the minimum sugarcane price from Sh5,750 to Sh5,500 per ton.

Similarly, the cost of a 50kg bag of sugar, which previously retailed at approximately Sh7,000, informed the earlier cane price of Sh5,750 per ton.

Currently, a sharp price fall of a 50kg bag of sugar to between Sh6,000 and Sh6,100 necessitated the review of raw material costs to ensure the industry remains viable.

In a statement, the Kenya Sugar Board said the move followed extensive consultations aimed at balancing farmer earnings, miller sustainability and prevailing market realities as sugar production rises across the country.

“In a directive issued by the Kenya Sugar Board on April 24, 2026, all millers were instructed to immediately implement the new price and ensure prompt payments to farmers,” read the statement.

The statement said the decision was reached after deliberations by the 4th Interim Sugarcane Pricing Committee, which reviewed current market conditions and consulted key industry players.

Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that some millers had pushed for the price to be reduced further to Sh5,000 per ton, arguing that rising production costs and falling sugar prices were squeezing their margins.

“However, after careful consideration, the government settled on Sh5,500 per ton to protect farmers from a steep reduction while still responding to changing market dynamics,” read the statement.

The review comes as Kenya records improved sugar production in 2026, with increased cane availability and higher factory output boosting sugar supply in the market.

The reopening of four previously dormant state-owned sugar factories that were leased to private operators has further increased production, resulting in more sugar being supplied locally.

With higher production, market forces of demand and supply have pushed sugar prices down.

Industry stakeholders note that if the cost of procuring raw materials remains too high while sugar prices continue falling, millers could struggle to sustain operations.

Even after the revision, Kenya still pays farmers significantly better than neighbouring countries.

Farmers in Tanzania earn approximately Sh4,900 per ton, while those in Uganda receive about Sh4,500 per ton.

The comparison reinforces the government’s position that Kenyan farmers are not being exploited but are instead receiving some of the most competitive rates in the region.

The move is part of wider reforms being spearheaded by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Sen. Mutahi Kagwe to revive the sugar sector, strengthen mill operations and ensure long-term sustainability for both farmers and investors.

Officials say the ultimate goal remains building a stable sugar industry where farmers earn fairly, factories remain operational, and Kenya reduces reliance on sugar imports.