Wednesday, 16 September 2026

Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Wednesday, 16 September 2026

Nairobi—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—

Kenyan press · Organization

Employment and Labour Relations Court

Also known as: Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri · ELRC

Employment and Labour Relations Court — judicial body issuing orders on workplace disputes, labour strikes, and public sector employment matters in Kenya.

2026-05-082026-09-16

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

May 2026
22 MayCapital News
… In the case filed before the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri, Shadrack Wambui is seeking an award of Sh10 million for each of the affected recruits, citing alleged violations of their constitutional rights, public embarrassment, and emotional distress following the …
Sh180mn Compensation Sought in petition challenging Expulsion of 18 Female Kiganjo Police Recruits over pregnancy
22 MayCapital News
NAIROBI, Kenya May 22 – A case has been lodged at the Employment and Labour Relations Court challenging the dismissal of 18 female police recruits from the National Police College Kiganjo over pregnancy claims. …
Petition Filed Over Dismissal of Pregnant Police Recruits at Kiganjo
22 MayCitizen Digital
… PHOTO | Kipchumba Murkomen/Facebook Audio By Vocalize A petition has been filed before the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri seeking the reinstatement of 18 female police recruits dismissed from the National Police College, Kiganjo, allegedly solely on the basis of p …
Petition filed to reinstate 18 pregnant police recruits dismissed from Kiganjo
8 MayCapital News
A petition contesting the Kenya Prisons Service recruitment criteria has been formally closed by the Employment and Labour Relations Court after parties informed the court that the dispute had been resolved. …
Court Closes Petition Challenging Kenya Prisons Recruitment Criteria After Settlement
8 MayCitizen Digital
… Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize A petition challenging the Kenya Prisons Service recruitment criteria has been marked as settled and the file closed by the Employment and Labour Relations Court …
Court closes petition challenging Kenya Prisons recruitment criteria

Society

High Court blocks prosecution of lawyer over forgery charges

The News

City lawyer Benard Odero Okello was arraigned at Kibera Law Court on Friday on 10 forgery-related charges involving the Kenya County Government Workers Union, but a High Court order barred his prosecution and required his immediate release. Justice Bahati Mwamuye restrained the DPP, DCI, and IG from arresting, detaining, charging or prosecuting Okello and staff at his law firm over transactions involving the union.

12 September 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 12 September

High Court blocks prosecution of lawyer over forgery charges
City lawyer Benard Odero Okello was arraigned at Kibera Law Court on Friday on 10 forgery-related charges involving the Kenya County Government Workers Union, but a High Court order barred his prosecution and required his immediate release. Justice Bahati Mwamuye restrained the DPP, DCI, and IG from arresting, detaining, charging or prosecuting Okello and staff at his law firm over transactions involving the union.
12 September 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 11 September

High Court blocks prosecution of Nairobi lawyer on 10 charges
Lawyer Benard Odero Okello appeared before Kibera Law Courts on 10 criminal counts including forgery, uttering false documents, resisting arrest and assaulting police officers, but was released unconditionally after the High Court issued orders stopping his prosecution.
11 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
High Court stays PS gender rule petition pending Appeal jurisdiction
The High Court has stayed proceedings in a petition by the Katiba Institute challenging the 2022 appointment of 51 Principal Secretaries for allegedly violating the two-thirds gender rule, citing an unresolved jurisdictional dispute with the Employment and Labour Relations Court. The petition argued that the nominees—39 men and 12 women—breached constitutional requirements for gender balance in appointive bodies.
11 September 2026 · Capital News →
City lawyer arrested after eighth-floor jump threat
Benard Odero Okello, a Nairobi lawyer, was arrested at his Westlands office after allegedly threatening to jump from the eighth floor to evade police arrest. He faces charges of forgery and uttering a false document related to a Sh150 million fee dispute, plus additional charges of resisting arrest and assaulting officers.
11 September 2026 · Capital News →

Thursday 10 September

Wanjigi criticises government over unpaid 1982 coup veterans compensation
Safina Party leader Jimi Wanjigi has criticised the government for failing to pay more than 400 former Kenya Air Force personnel dismissed after the 1982 attempted coup, despite court orders directing compensation of up to Ksh.9 billion.
10 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Court certifies urgent case on infrastructure fund CEO appointment
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has certified as urgent a case challenging James Mworia's appointment as first CEO of the National Infrastructure Fund. Petitioners allege a conflict of interest because Mworia was a sitting board member of the six-member Board that selected him for the position.
10 September 2026 · Capital News →

Monday 31 August

Clinical officers' strike continues; nurses plan September demos
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers says their strike remains in full force until substantive grievances are addressed. The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives has notified police of planned demonstrations on September 3, 2026, with 9,400 participants from the 47 counties marching to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and Council of Governors headquarters.
31 August 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 30 August

Aviation workers strike at KCAA, KAA, and Jambojet
Aviation workers went on strike at the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Kenya Airports Authority, and Jambojet on Sunday morning, reviving disruption threats a month after a government-brokered truce. The Kenya Aviation Workers Union says members will not resume work until grievances against all three employers are settled.
30 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Saturday 22 August

Dock Workers Union new team probes Sh82 million withdrawal
Newly elected Dock Workers Union general secretary Abubakar Abdillahi and his team took office this week and said initial investigation found Sh82 million irregularly withdrawn from one of three union accounts. The matter has been reported to police, and the team has commissioned a comprehensive audit to recover missing funds.
22 August 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 19 August

High Court rules magistrate retains authority over transferred criminal cases
The High Court affirmed that a magistrate transferred to the Employment and Labour Relations Court can continue to handle criminal cases already before her. Justice Alexander Muteti dismissed a challenge by former Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Davis Nathan Chelogoi, who questioned Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego's continued handling of his criminal case after her transfer to the ELRC.
19 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Tuesday 18 August

Kakuzi Plc employees to receive 15% wage increase from 2026
Unionisable employees at agribusiness firm Kakuzi Plc will receive a 15% wage increase over the 2026/27 Collective Bargaining Agreement period following union negotiations, with more than 3,500 workers receiving 8% in 2026 and 7% in 2027.
18 August 2026 · Capital News →
Former Moi University workers demand court-ordered unpaid compensation
Former Moi University workers retrenched in 2001 have given the institution one month to pay termination dues awarded by the Employment and Labour Relations Court in October 2025, threatening legal action if unpaid. The court ordered each of 62 claimants to receive four months' basic pay and house allowance, but the workers rejected a university offer claiming it violated the ruling.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →
High Court upholds magistrate's jurisdiction in land fraud case
A Milimani High Court judge dismissed a bid by former Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Davis Nathan Chelogoi to disqualify the magistrate hearing a Sh1.3 billion Lower Kabete land fraud case, ruling that the magistrate retained criminal jurisdiction after being transferred to the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →
High Court quashes Sh709 million cost award in Standard Chartered pension dispute
Justice Gregory Mutai quashed a Sh709 million cost award by the Retirement Benefits Tribunal in a dispute over Sh7 billion pension payout, ruling that Standard Chartered Bank was not given a chance to be heard before the decision was made. The judge directed the tribunal to hear and determine the issue afresh before deciding whether the bank should shoulder the costs incurred by former employees.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 16 August

Homa Bay County swears in new deputy governor and executives
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga appointed Danish Onyango as deputy governor to fill a vacancy that had lasted about six months since former Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga's resignation in February 2026. Onyango and two County Executive Committee Members were sworn in on Thursday after a court challenge to the nominations was dismissed.
16 August 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 15 August

Dock Workers Union elects new general secretary Abdillahi
Abubakar Mohamed Abdillahi has been elected general secretary of the Dock Workers Union, defeating rival Salim Kumaka with 1042 votes to 581 across 13 polling stations. Gideon Matiku was elected deputy general secretary and Gunda Kaneo national chairman in the union elections.
15 August 2026 · The Standard →
Court halts Nairobi County casual health worker recruitment
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has stopped Nairobi County from recruiting casual and locum health workers into a countywide pool pending a legal challenge by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union, which argues that proposed pay rates fall below agreed levels and violate constitutional protections on equality.
15 August 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 12 August

Lobby group challenges Kenya Railways boss Mainga's office tenure
The Centre for Litigation Trust has filed a petition in the High Court challenging whether Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga can legally remain in office after his alleged second term expired on February 2, 2026. The petition argues that Mainga's continued occupation of the role raises constitutional and statutory concerns regarding lawful exercise of public authority.
12 August 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 11 August

Labour Court bars Kenya Railways MD Mainga from office
Justice Nzioki wa Makau of the Employment and Labour Relations Court issued interim orders barring Philip Mainga from occupying and exercising the powers of Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Railways Corporation, pending the hearing of a petition filed by Joan Machuma Nyongesa challenging the legality of his continued tenure.
11 August 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 5 August

Nurses continue strike despite court order to return
A nationwide nurses' strike persisted on Wednesday after the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives defied a Monday court order from the Employment and Labour Relations Court directing them to resume duty at Mombasa County and 46 other county governments.
5 August 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 4 August

Court directs universities to resolve lecturer salary delays constructively
The Employment and Labour Relations Court warned universities against delaying or denying lecturers' salaries on grounds of government underfunding, directing them instead to engage staff constructively and make reasonable payment plans. A judge awarded one part-time lecturer Sh1.08 million in unpaid dues after ruling on her case against Laikipia University.
4 August 2026 · The Standard →

Monday 3 August

UASU warns PSC retirement rules could halve UoN academic staff
The Universities Academic Staff Union warns that implementing the Public Service Commission's revised retirement policy—which lowers the retirement age for professors from 74 to 70 and for other academic staff to 65 and below—could cause the University of Nairobi to lose between 60 and 70 percent of its academic staff. UASU says the university has not recruited lecturers since 2020 and has already lost 40 percent of its workforce through attrition.
3 August 2026 · Capital News →

Friday 31 July

JSC defends accountability record, opposes LSK court boycott
The Judicial Service Commission has defended its judicial accountability record, saying it received 506 complaints against judges this year and has processed 417 of them, while warning that the Law Society of Kenya's planned boycott of selected courts risks disrupting access to justice.
31 July 2026 · Capital News →

Monday 27 July

Aviation workers suspend strike after government deal
Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) suspended a nationwide strike scheduled for July 28 after a breakthrough meeting with the government and aviation agencies, leading to a framework agreement that sets out a schedule for negotiations over workers' grievances across various aviation institutions.
27 July 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 25 July

Civil servants sue to transfer PSC promotion powers to secretaries
The Union of Kenya Civil Servants has filed a court case in the Employment and Labour Relations Court to strip the Public Service Commission of its authority to advertise, shortlist, interview, and promote civil servants, contending that the commission has exceeded its constitutional mandate and that these powers should be transferred to Principal Secretaries of respective ministries.
25 July 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 23 July

Court dismisses union leader's bid to block dockers poll
Justice Ocharo Kebira has rejected acting general secretary Sulman Owour's petition to stop the Dock Workers Union elections, allowing union polls scheduled for August 13 to proceed. Owour had challenged the elections board as having four members instead of nine, but the court found his application failed to meet the threshold for injunctive relief.
23 July 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 21 July

Court rejects Dock Workers Union officials' bid to block elections
The interim office bearers of the Dock Workers Union, led by acting general secretary Sulman Owour, lost a court challenge to oppose the union elections board, which they claimed was improperly constituted with only four members instead of nine. Justice Ocharo Kebira dismissed their petition and upheld a June 17 order requiring union elections within 60 days.
21 July 2026 · The Standard →

Monday 20 July

Senior Counsel claims High Court judges sit only 54 days yearly
Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi claims High Court and Court of Appeal judges spend an average of just 54 days a year in court, citing judicial recesses, annual leave, and official travel as constraints. His remarks come as lawyers prepare a nationwide boycott over court delays and alleged inefficiencies, and contrast with the Judiciary's reported 104 per cent case clearance rate for 2024/25.
20 July 2026 · Capital News →

Saturday 18 July

Dock Workers Union holds new election August 13
Thousands of Mombasa port workers are preparing for Dock Workers Union elections scheduled for August 13, with acting general secretary Sulman Owour, former assistant general secretary Abubakar Abdillahi, and KPA operations officer Salim Kumaka competing for positions. An Employment and Labour Relations Court judge nullified the previous April 4 election and ordered fresh polls.
18 July 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 17 July

Nakuru County ordered to pay worker compensation within 30 days
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has ordered Nakuru County Government to pay Alfred Owino Sh2.98 million as compensation for work-related injuries sustained in 2017, plus accrued interest from September 2020, following the county's failure to comply with a March court decree. The ruling ends a nine-year legal process, with Judge Anna Mwaure finding the county's non-payment violated Owino's constitutional rights.
17 July 2026 · The Standard →