2026 in Kenya
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The following is a list of events of the year 2026 in Kenya, as well as predicted and scheduled events that have not yet occurred.
Incumbents
[edit]Events
[edit]January
[edit]- 2 January – A multi-storey building under construction collapses in Nairobi's South C area, trapping at least two people and causing fatalities.[1]
- 3 January – President Ruto says the government will introduce new legislation making drug and illicit alcohol trafficking a capital offence.[2]
- 26 January – Al-Shabaab terrorists kill a local chief and a teacher in Hulugho, Garissa County.[3]
- 30 January – KOKO Networks announces its closure, citing the government's failure to authorize carbon credits and import permits for bioethanol made from molasses.[4]
February
[edit]- 2 February – A Matatu strike paralyzes transport in Nairobi.[5]
- 3 February – The Tax Appeals Tribunal rules that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is legally entitled to treat unexplained bank deposits and mobile money transfers, payments or deposits, such as those via M-pesa, as taxable income unless the taxpayer proves otherwise with documentary evidence.[6]
- 3 February – Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission CEO and Commission Secretary, Marjan Hussein Marjan resigns from office ahead of the 2027 General Elections.[7]
- 4 February – President Ruto announces income tax exemptions for individuals earning KSh30,000 and below per month (approximately $233), and a 25% tax reduction for those earning up to KSh50,000 (about $388).[8]
- 11 February – Orange Democratic Movement National Executive Committee (NEC) attempts to remove Edwin Sifuna as party Secretary-General.[9]
- 16 February – A strike is held by workers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi following a dispute over the implementation of a collective bargaining agreement.[10]
- 17 February – The government unveils a national carbon registry.[11]
- 26 February – Festus Omwamba is charged at the Kahawa Law Courts in Kiambu with human trafficking, after recruiting and sending Kenyan youths to fight for the Russian Armed Forces in the war with Ukraine.[12]
- 27 February – United Democratic Alliance (Kenya) wins Isiolo South Constituency, Evurore ward and Muminji by-elections which were previously held by Jubilee, an independent and Devolution Empowerment Party (DUP) parties respectively.[13]
- 28 February – Six people are killed when an Airbus Helicopters H175 crashes in Mosop Constituency, Nandi County. MP Johana Ng'eno is among the victims.[14][15]
March
[edit]- 1 March – Alliance High School (Kenya) marks its centenary in a ceremony attended by President Ruto.[16]
- 7 March – At least 45 people are killed in overnight flooding caused by heavy rains across the country with 23 in Nairobi alone.[17]
- 10 March – A Chinese national is arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi while attempting to leave Kenya with 2,238 live garden ants concealed in his luggage.[18]
- 12–15 March – WRC Safari Rally Kenya, a round of the 2026 World Rally Championship.[19]
- 13 March – A court in Nairobi convicts six people in a robbery with violence case linked to the 2015 killing of George Muchai and his bodyguards; one of the accused is acquitted due to insufficient evidence.[20][21]
- 16 March – A building collapses during a botched demolition in Shauri Moyo, Nairobi, killing four people.[22]
- 19 March – The government restarts the building of the China-backed Standard Gauge Railway extension, after a six-year construction pause.[23]
- 22 March – A mass grave, discovered in Kericho town, containing 14 individuals buried on 19 March. It is believed to be part of a larger, illicit burial site containing roughly 70 bodies buried over several months without government or landowner permission.[24]
- 28 March –
- 2026 Kenya floods: At least 108 people are killed after multiple weeks of flooding across the country.[25][26]
- A truck and a minibus collide along the Nyeri-Nyahururu road in Nyeri County, killing 16 and injuring 10.[27]
- 30 March – Albert Korir, winner of the 2021 New York City Marathon, is banned for five years by the Athletics Integrity Unit after admitting to the use of the banned substance EPO following an out-of-competition test.[28]
April
[edit]- 2 April – Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi reports that 16 Kenyans are missing in Russia, after being recruited to fight for the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, while 38 others are currently hospitalized in Russia under restricted access.[29]
- 20 April – John Korir wins the men’s race at the Boston Marathon for the second consecutive year, setting a new course record of 2:01:52.[30]
- 27–29 April – World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026, held at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).[31]
- 26 April – Sabastian Sawe officially breaks the 2-hour barrier for a marathon at the 2026 London Marathon.[32]
May
[edit]- 1 May – China lifts tariffs on imports from Kenya until 2028.[33]
- 11 – 12 May – Kenya hosts the first anglophone edition of the Africa Forward Summit.[34][35]
- 24 May – The Kenya Wildlife Marathon and Half-Marathon will take place.[36]
June
[edit]- 2–5 June – 2026 Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference in Nairobi.[37]
- 16–18 June – The 11th Our Ocean Conference will for the first time be hosted by an African country, Kenya, in Mombasa and Kilifi Counties.[38]
- 27 June – Annual Lewa Safari Marathon organized by Tusk.[39]
Holidays
[edit]Source:[40]
- 1 January – New Year's Day
- 20 March – Idd-ul-Fitr, the end of Ramadhan[41]
- 1 May – Labour Day
- 1 June – Madaraka Day
- 10 October – Mazingira Day (previously known as Moi Day)[42]
- 20 October – Mashujaa Day
- 12 December – Jamhuri Day
- 25 December – Christmas
- 26 December – Boxing Day
Deaths
[edit]- 28 February – Johana Ng'eno, 53, Member of Parliament for Emurua Dikirr Constituency.[14]
- 29 March – David Njuguna Kiaraho, 62, Member of Parliament for Ol Kalou Constituency.[43]
References
[edit]- ^ Wangui, Joseph; Cheruiyot, Kevin (7 January 2026). "Architects list oversight lapses that led to South C building collapse". Daily Nation. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Adar, Victor (5 January 2026). "Death penalty looms for drug traffickers under Ruto's revamped narcotic law". The Nairobi Law Monthly. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Malalo, Humphrey (26 January 2026). "Al Shabaab kills local chief and teacher in northeast Kenya, police say". Reuters. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "Shutdown of Kenya's Koko biofuel firm wipes out clean cooking options". AP News. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ Simitia, Mark (3 February 2026). "Matatu strike brings Nairobi traffic to a standstill". Retrieved 3 February 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Wangui, Joseph (3 February 2026). "Court backs KRA's push to tax unexplained bank deposits". Business Daily. Nation Media Group. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Kiilu, Damaris (3 February 2026). "Marjan Hussein steps down as IEBC CEO". The Star. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Kenyan president announces tax relief measures to ease cost of living". Africanews. 4 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ Kitimo, Anthony; Nambeka, Jurgen (11 February 2026). "ODM kicks out Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna". Daily Nation. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Flights are delayed as workers strike at Kenya's main airport". AP News. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "Kenya launches a carbon registry to boost climate finance and credibility". AP News. 17 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
- ^ "Kenyan man charged with duping people to fight for Russia in Ukraine war". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ "Isiolo South, Evurore and Muminji: UDA wins all seats in Mt Kenya by-election contest". Daily Nation. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ^ a b Kipkemoi, Felix (28 February 2026). "Who was Johanna Ngeno? A look at life and times of the late Emurua Dikirr MP". The Star. Archived from the original on 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ Ranter, Harro. "Accident Airbus Helicopter H125 5Y-DSB, Saturday 28 February 2026". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ Citizen TV Kenya (1 March 2026). Alliance High School marks 100th anniversary (Video). YouTube. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ^ "Kenya flash floods death toll rises to 45". France 24. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ Malalo, Humphrey (12 March 2026). "Kenya arrests man trying to smuggle over 2,000 live ants in his luggage". Reuters. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ^ "WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2026". FIA World Rally Championship. 2026 WRC Promoter GmbH. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ NTV Kenya (13 March 2026). Six found guilty over 2015 robbery and murder of former MP George Muchai (video). YouTube. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "Six found guilty in robbery with violence case linked to MP George Muchai's murder". Citizen Digital. 13 March 2026. Archived from the original on 16 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "Planned demolition of a building in Nairobi goes wrong and leaves at least 4 people dead". AP News. 17 March 2026. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
- ^ Miriri, Duncan (19 March 2026). "Kenya revives stalled China-backed railway after six-year halt". Reuters. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Kimutai, Vitalis; Mbula, Ruth (22 March 2026). "Kericho mass grave mystery: How bodies were moved and secretly buried". Daily Nation. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ^ Winter, Joseph; Kagoe, Richard (15 March 2026). "Kenya floods leave 66 dead, as heavy rains continue in Nairobi". BBC. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ Malalo, Humphrey (28 March 2026). "Death toll from Kenyan floods rises to 108, police say". Reuters. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
- ^ "At least 15 killed in road accident in central Kenya". Xinhua. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ^ "Kenya's former New York marathon champion Korir gets five-year doping ban". Al Jazeera. AFP. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
- ^ "Sixteen Kenyans missing in Russia after army recruitment for Ukraine, Musalia Mudavadi says". BBC News. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ^ McLaughlin, Tim (20 April 2026). "Kenya's Korir shatters Boston Marathon course record". Reuters. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
- ^ "Reimagining Africa's Health Systems: Innovation, Integration, and Inclusion". World Health Summit. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ AFP (26 April 2026). "Sabastian Sawe runs under two hours for first time in marathon history". Citizen Digital. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ^ "China has now dropped tariffs on imports from every African country except 1". AP News. 1 May 2026. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ^ "Africa Forward Summit to focus on jobs, investment and partnerships". Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. 9 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ "Mudavadi gives updates on govt readiness as Nairobi gears up for Africa Forward Summit". People Daily. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ "Kenya Wildlife Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10K, 5K May 24 2026". Kenya Wildlife Marathon. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ "2026 Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference". Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ "The eleventh Our Ocean Conference will be held in Mombasa and Kilifi Counties, Kenya, from June 16 to 18, 2026". Our Ocean Conference. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ "International registrations for Lewa Safari Marathon 2026 are now open". Lewa Safari Marathon. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
- ^ "Public Holidays – The Kenya Consulate". Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ Kitimo, Anthony (19 March 2026). "CS Murkomen declares Friday public holiday to mark Idd-ul-Fitr". Daily Nation. Archived from the original on 19 March 2026. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ Makhanu, Mabonga (9 October 2025). "From honouring the president to saving the planet: Kenya's evolution from Moi Day to Mazingira Day". People Daily. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Peter Mwangi (29 March 2026). "Ol Kalou MP David Njuguna Kiaraho dies". Citizen Digital. Archived from the original on 29 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026. Also available at: Waikwa Maina (29 March 2026). "Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho dies at Nairobi Hospital". Daily Nation. Archived from the original on 29 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
 Years in Kenya (1963–present) | |
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