… The three-day expo, held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), has brought together more than 200 enterprises from China and Africa, alongside government officials, investors, contractors, manufacturers and business leaders. …
… As protesters marched toward the Kenyatta International Convention Centre carrying placards denouncing French imperialism and neo-colonialism, Kenyan police responded with tear gas, arrests, and warning shots. …
… And despite the suspension, the county assembly yesterday said police officers at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and Central Police Station would be asked to look for the officials.The committee said their efforts to inquire about the whereabouts of Kerich had been …
… The Heads of State Summit will follow on May 12 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), with plenaries and roundtables expected to culminate in the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration. …
… He, however, stated that on June 20, he reported at 5:20a.m and had been assigned guard duties at the gate of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. …
… The event, which began at the Sarit Expo Centre before moving to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), marked the official entry of the globally recognized GITEX brand into East Africa’s rapidly expanding tech ecosystem. …
… Speaking during the ongoing Science, Technology, Research and Innovation (STRI) Society Week 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, KWS officials showcased how modern innovations are transforming conservation work across the country. …
… X Kenya AI Summit and Expo Audio By Vocalize Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has pledged long-term support for AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA, as the inaugural technology and artificial intelligence event heads into its final day at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre …
… The three-day event, organised by inD in partnership with the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology, is being held at the Sarit Expo Centre and the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). …
Kenya is intensifying efforts to become a regional manufacturing and industrial hub by inviting global investors to participate in local production, technology transfer, and skills development. The Industry Principal Secretary said Kenya is positioning itself for industrial growth anchored on manufacturing, value addition, and regional trade at the opening of the AICMEC 2026 expo.
Kenya is intensifying efforts to become a regional manufacturing and industrial hub by inviting global investors to participate in local production, technology transfer, and skills development. The Industry Principal Secretary said Kenya is positioning itself for industrial growth anchored on manufacturing, value addition, and regional trade at the opening of the AICMEC 2026 expo.
France is seeking to expand its influence in East Africa and Kenya after losing ground in the Sahel, but protests against French President Macron's participation in Nairobi's Africa Forward Summit signal rising anti-French sentiment in the region over France's colonial legacy.
The Nairobi County Assembly has ordered the arrest of Finance CEC Charles Kerich after he failed to appear before the Committee on Implementation to discuss the 2026/2027 county budget. Kerich, who was suspended by Governor Johnson Sakaja following a conviction for contempt of court and a three-month prison sentence on May 19, 2026, has been missing, and the committee says his absence is blocking the budget preparation process.
Kenya will host the Africa Forward Summit on May 11–12, 2026, co-hosted by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, bringing together more than 30 heads of state and over 1,500 business leaders to advance investment and deepen Africa's global partnerships.
An inquest into the death of protester Rex Masai heard that the lead investigating officer told the court detectives were unable to identify the firearm that fired the fatal bullet, citing lack of cooperation from police officers involved in the June 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
Kenya's position as Africa's "Silicon Savannah" was highlighted at the inaugural AI Everything Kenya x GITEX Kenya summit in Nairobi, where Italy emerged as a key international partner through its National Pavilion, seeking to connect Italian innovators and startups with Kenyan businesses and investors to deepen economic and technological partnership between the two nations.
The Kenya Wildlife Service is using modern innovations to transform conservation work and promote sustainable coexistence between people and wildlife, as showcased by KWS officials at the Science, Technology, Research and Innovation Society Week 2026 at KICC in Nairobi.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja committed to long-term support for AI EVERYTHING KENYA X GITEX KENYA, pledging that Nairobi will become a permanent participant in the global GITEX network, one of the world's largest tech and AI event platforms.
Kenya launched the inaugural AI Everything Kenya x GITEX Kenya conference in Nairobi, described as East Africa's largest AI and technology event, bringing together government officials, investors, and technology firms. Leaders called for increased investment in digital infrastructure, local AI development, and regional cooperation to help Africa compete globally in artificial intelligence.
The two-day Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, co-hosted by President William Ruto and President Emmanuel Macron, closed with €23 billion in pledges (€14 billion from French firms and €9 billion from African companies) targeting energy, technology, and agriculture, alongside eleven Kenya-France memoranda on infrastructure and services—though the event was marked by street protests and tear gas outside the venue.
Kenya hosted the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on May 11–12, with President Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron in attendance. The event, originally planned for a new Bomas International Convention Complex (incomplete as of April 2026), was moved to KICC and Kasarani Stadium but was marred by security lapses and scuffles.
At the inaugural Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, President William Ruto held bilateral meetings with Côte d'Ivoire's Alassane Ouattara, with both agreeing to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.
President William Ruto held bilateral meetings with Côte d'Ivoire's Alassane Ouattara at State House on the sidelines of the inaugural Africa Forward Summit, with the two leaders agreeing to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.
An opinion piece cautions that while Nairobi's hosting of the Africa Forward Summit—the first outside France in over five decades—brought together 30+ African leaders and global investors with pledges of billions in investment commitments, Africa needs implementation rather than further grand conferences that fade without impact.
An opinion piece argues that African leaders should focus on delivering real outcomes rather than celebrating large financial commitments and announcements made at high-profile international meetings.
The Africa Forward Summit concluded at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani with a cultural showcase featuring twelve African artists performing music, dance, and fashion displays. The evening combined African creativity and artistic identity to celebrate the continent's cultural spirit.
At the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, UN Secretary General António Guterres argued that Africa remains underrepresented in the global multilateral system and produces solutions to global risks like climate emergencies, yet continues to be sidelined.
Police dispersed separate groups of protesters near venues hosting the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on Tuesday, with witnesses and activist groups reporting at least 11 arrests, though authorities placed the number at least five. Human rights activists and local demonstrators were blocked from accessing the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and Serena Hotel, where heads of state and international delegates were gathered.
Police in Nairobi blocked human rights activists from accessing the Kenyatta International Convention Centre during the Africa Forward Summit, with several people arrested along Uhuru Highway. Security was tightened around the venue following the incident.
President Ruto opened the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi alongside French President Macron, calling for Africa's development to move away from dependency and unsustainable borrowing towards domestic resource mobilization. He cited Kenya's affordable housing financing model and urged stronger cooperation grounded in sovereign equality and mutual respect rather than hierarchy.
Democratic Change Party leader Rigathi Gachagua dismissed the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi as a political "sideshow," accusing President William Ruto of seeking international legitimacy while ignoring crises in healthcare, education and security. Gachagua directed remarks at UN Secretary-General António Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron, calling Ruto a human rights violator and threat to regional stability, and cited the abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi in November 2024 as evidence of government collusion with foreign governments.
According to McKinsey, AI could add 2.6 per cent to Kenya's annual GDP by 2030, driven largely by the financial sector. Banks and fintech companies are deploying AI systems for fraud detection, credit scoring, customer service automation, and expanded lending access to underserved populations.
President Ruto called for Africa's partnership with France to shift from aid-dependent relations to cooperation grounded in sovereign equality and mutual respect. He said Africa should leverage its own financial resources—including over $4 trillion in domestic savings—to drive development rather than rely on external support.
Kenya has seen a sharp rise in AI-focused startups over the past five years that target challenges across agriculture, healthcare, fintech, logistics, and climate resilience, driven by a growing pool of skilled developers, data scientists, and AI researchers supported by expanded access to AI education.
An opinion piece argues that the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi marks a significant diplomatic shift, being held outside France or a Francophone African country for the first time in over five decades. Kenya and France have signed 11 agreements on transport, energy, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, and climate resilience, though the piece questions whether the summit will deliver measurable outcomes beyond symbolic declarations.
Several central Nairobi roads including City Hall Way, Parliament Road, Harambee Avenue, and Taifa Road will close from midnight May 11 for the Africa Forward Summit 2026 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre; commuters on other major routes are advised to expect delays due to security checks and convoy movements.
Kenya and France have signed 11 agreements to deepen cooperation across strategic sectors, including a KSh12.5 billion Nairobi Commuter Rail project rehabilitation and modernisation, a KSh104 billion joint venture for logistics and port infrastructure, and initiatives to promote Kenyan speciality teas in French markets.
Heads of State are arriving in Kenya ahead of the Africa Forward summit scheduled for May 11–12 in Nairobi, jointly hosted by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron. The summit will bring together at least 30 presidents, innovators, and business leaders to address regional and global challenges.
Civil society and pan-African groups are organising a counter-summit in Nairobi to oppose the Africa-France Summit, which they characterise as France repackaging neo-colonial influence. The main summit, set for Monday and Tuesday, will bring together heads of state and about 1,500 delegates to discuss economic cooperation, financial reform, green industrialisation, energy transition, and related topics.
Several roads in central Nairobi will close from midnight on May 11 as security agencies prepare for the African Forward Summit 2026, held May 10–12 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. City Hall Way, Parliament Road, Harambee Avenue, and Taifa Road will be restricted to official summit vehicles and accredited participants, while other major routes face anticipated delays.