Kidiwa Affordable Housing Phase II to Deliver 2,148 Modern Housing Units in Eldoret
The ongoing construction of the Kidiwa Affordable Housing Project Phase II is steadily reshaping Eldoret City’s skyline while addressing the growing demand for decent and affordable housing.
The project, which is being developed on the site formerly occupied by the Low-Cost (LC) houses constructed by the then Eldoret Municipal Council in 1974, marks a significant shift in urban renewal. The ageing housing units, which have served residents for decades, are being replaced with modern residential developments designed to meet the needs of Eldoret’s rapidly expanding population.
Building on the success of Phase I, the second phase of the Kidiwa Affordable Housing Project represents another milestone in the city’s ongoing urban transformation and aligns with the national government’s Affordable Housing Programme.
Situated on a 16-acre parcel in Soy Constituency, the estate will feature 15 residential blocks, each rising 14 storeys high. Upon completion, the development will deliver 2,148 housing units, comprising 552 social housing units, 1,056 affordable housing units, and 540 market-rate apartments.
Amenities in Kidiwa Affordable Housing Project Phase II
Beyond housing, the project is envisioned as a modern integrated community. Planned amenities include basketball courts, a swimming pool, a clubhouse, a community centre, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre, landscaped public spaces, and ample parking facilities.
The development is part of a broader housing agenda that has four affordable housing projects rolled out across Uasin Gishu County, particularly in Eldoret City.
In recent years, the government has identified the county as a key beneficiary of the Affordable Housing Programme due to its fast-growing population, increasing urbanisation, and status as one of Kenya’s newest cities. Projects such as Kidiwa and other ongoing housing developments are expected to help bridge the housing deficit while creating employment opportunities and stimulating local economic growth.
As construction progresses, the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration continues to collaborate with local administration and community leaders to promote safety and ensure orderly development around the estate. The efforts are aimed at fostering a secure environment for residents, businesses, and investors as Eldoret continues its transition into a modern urban centre.
Once completed, the Kidiwa Affordable Housing Project Phase II is expected not only to provide thousands of residents with access to quality housing but also to serve as a model for sustainable urban development in the North Rift region.
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President Ruto Signs New Tax Laws Extending 8% VAT on Fuel for 90 More Days
President William Ruto had assented to the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The two Bills, sponsored by Leader of the Majority Party Kimani Ichung’wah, seek to address economic pressures affecting households and businesses while improving the efficiency of revenue administration.
The Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, passed by the House on October 14, 2026, seeks to extend the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products from 16 per cent to eight per cent for a further 90 days, with provision for an additional 90-day extension by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, if necessary.
Importance of Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill
This measure follows the expiry on October 14 of the previous relief period, introduced in April 2026, amid continuing uncertainty in global oil prices linked to the crisis in the Middle East. The extension is intended to enable the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority to sustain current fuel prices and avert a sharp increase that could raise transport costs and the prices of essential goods and services.
For households, businesses and transport operators, maintaining the reduced VAT rate is expected to ease cost pressures across the economy.
The Bill also targets construction costs through amendments to the Excise Duty Act. It changes the basis for calculating excise duty on tiles from weight to size, recognising that tiles are commonly sold per square metre.
Additionally, it proposes to reduce excise duty on sanitary ware from KSh50 to KSh30 per kilogramme and corrects the description of imported float glass and other specified glass products to allow qualifying imports from East African Community partner states without excise duty.
These measures are expected to lower construction costs for both public and private sector projects, including Affordable Housing programmes, while supporting investment and employment in the construction industry.
Details of the Kenya Revenue Authority Bill
Meanwhile, the Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, passed with amendments on October 7, seeks to improve the Authority’s operational efficiency and strengthen revenue collection.
The Bill provides for substantive membership of the KRA Board, excluding ex officio members, and includes the Managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority to improve coordination between the two institutions, whose operations are interdependent.
It also provides for KRA funding of not less than two per cent of the revenue estimated for collection in each financial year, alongside an incentive equivalent to three per cent of revenue collected above quarterly targets.
The reforms are intended to enhance revenue collection through improved institutional capacity and efficiency, supporting the Government’s ability to finance public services without necessarily resorting to higher taxes.
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Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba, Aynalem Desta to Defend Amsterdam Marathon Titles
Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba and Aynalem Desta will return to the TCS Amsterdam Marathon to defend their titles at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
Both Kenya’s Kipchumba and Ethiopia’s Desta will want to build on the respective PBs of 2:03:30 and 2:17:37 they set when winning in the Dutch capital last year – Kipchumba breaking the course record and Desta running the third-fastest time ever achieved in Amsterdam.
They both again face some strong competition. Kipchumba is one of 11 men on the entry list to have broken 2:05, while Desta is joined by three of her compatriots who have also run under 2:20.
After setting his Dutch all-comers’ record to win in Amsterdam, Kipchumba impressed again as he finished a close second at the Tokyo Marathon in March. In only the third marathon of his career so far, he missed his PB by just seven seconds and was denied after a sprint finish as he matched the time achieved by winner Tadese Takele.
Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba vs Tsegaye Getachew in Amsterdam Marathon
Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Getachew was runner-up to Kipchumba in Amsterdam last year and after two wins – in 2022 and 2024 – he returns again, looking to regain the title. He came close to the PB of 2:04:18 he set in Amsterdam a year ago when running 2:04:32 to finish fourth in Seoul in March.
His compatriot Haymanot Alew is also among the leading contenders. Alew is second quickest on the entry list with a PB just one second off Kipchumba’s – that time securing him a third-place finish in the Berlin Marathon in 2024. More recently, Alew ran his second-quickest marathon of 2:05:19 to finish fifth in Rotterdam in April, and he now returns to race on Dutch soil again.
Israel’s Maru Teferi, the 2023 world silver medallist, set his national record of 2:04:44 in Valencia in 2024 and will be on the hunt for another podium place after finishing third in Amsterdam in 2:05:42 that same year.
Others lining up with PBs under 2:05 include Uganda’s 2023 world fifth-place finisher Stephen Kissa, contesting his first race of the year, plus Justus Kipkorir Limo, who ran 2:04:55 in Seville in February, and Lemi Berhanu, the 2016 Boston Marathon winner who won in Prague in 2:05:14 last year.
Nicholas Kipkorir at Amsterdam Marathon
The entry list also stars Nicholas Kipkorir, the world half marathon silver medallist in Copenhagen last month, who races his second marathon after clocking 2:06:07 in Boston in April, plus 2015 world champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, Barcelona Marathon runner-up Patrick Mosin and Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi, who makes his marathon debut after winning the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in 58:26 in August.
Desta came within 45 seconds of the course record of 2:16:52 set by Yalemzerf Yehualaw in 2024 when she improved her PB by more than four minutes to win in Amsterdam last year. A similar time might be needed if she is to retain her title as she faces her compatriots Meseret Belete and Mestawut Fikir, who have also broken 2:19, as well as 2:19:34 runner Buze Diriba.
While Desta, who finished third in the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in 2:22:37 in March, has the benefit of experience in Amsterdam, so too does Belete. The 2:18:21 Belete clocked to win in Amsterdam in 2023 remains her PB.
Fikir ran 2:18:48 when finishing second in the Berlin Marathon in 2024, and she has a season’s best of 2:20:00 – the second-fastest time of her career so far – achieved when placing seventh in Tokyo in March.
Diriba has dipped inside 2:20 in two marathons in the past 12 months, running her PB of 2:19:34 to win in Frankfurt last October and 2:19:54 to place second in Daegu in February.
Kenya’s Evaline Chirchir finished one place behind Diriba in Daegu earlier this year in 2:20:51 and clocked 2:21:32 in Berlin last month. She is entered for her third marathon of the year alongside the likes of Bahrain’s Desi Jisa Mokonin and Ethiopia’s Yeshi Kalayu Chekole and Girmawit Gebrzihair.
Amsterdam Marathon leading entries
Women
- Aynalem Desta (ETH) 2:17:37
- Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21
- Mestawut Fikir (ETH) 2:18:48
- Buze Diriba (ETH) 2:19:34
- Desi Jisa Mokonin (BRN) 2:20:07
- Yeshi Kalayu Chekole (ETH) 2:20:15
- Nazret Weldu (ERI) 2:20:29
- Evaline Chirchir (KEN) 2:20:33
- Tiringo Mulu (ETH) 2:21:12
- Stacey Chepkemboi Ndiwa (KEN) 2:23:42
- Adanech Anbesa (ETH) 2:24:07
- Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH) 2:24:20
- Rebecca Chepkwemoi (KEN) 2:24:52
- Kena Girma (ETH) 2:25:56
- Selamawit Teferi (ISR) 2:26:58
- Mikky Keetels (NED) 2:30:42
Men
- Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba (KEN) 2:03:30
- Haymanot Alew (ETH) 2:03:31
- Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:04:18
- Lemi Berhanu (ETH) 2:04:33
- Maru Teferi (ISR) 2:04:44
- Stephen Kissa (UGA) 2:04:48
- Bute Gemechu (ETH) 2:04:51
- Justus Kipkorir Limo (KEN) 2:04:55
- Bazezew Asmare (ETH) 2:04:57
- Yihunilign Adane (ETH) 2:04:59
- Patrick Mosin (KEN) 2:04:59
- Kalipus Lomwai (KEN) 2:05:06
- Yohei Ikeda (JPN) 2:05:12
- Bayelign Teshager (ETH) 2:05:23
- Jonathan Korir (KEN) 2:05:27
- Sila Kiptoo (KEN) 2:05:28
- Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (ERI) 2:05:34
- Mehdi Frère (FRA) 2:05:43
- Victor Kipchirchir (KEN) 2:05:43
- Tsedat Abeje Ayana (ETH) 2:05:47
- Justus Kangogo (KEN) 2:05:57
- Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi (KEN) debut
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Meet Rengstar: The Sugoi Boda Boda Rider Who Has Cleaned Over 3,000 Road Signs to Save Lives
On the busy highways of Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Nakuru, Kericho and Kakamega, motorists have been noticing something unusual. Road signs that were once dusty and invisible are suddenly sparkling clean, their warnings clear again.
Behind it is not a government contractor or a county crew, but a boda boda operator from Sugoi, Turbo constituency in Uasin Gishu County, with a jerrycan of water, a rag, and a powerful story. His name is Collins Kipleting, alias Rengstar.
“Apart from cleaning road signs, I’m a boda boda operator,” Rengstar tells Uasin Gishu News.
What inspired Rengstar to clean road signs?
His mission started nine months ago, not out of employment, but out of pain.
“My cameraman was involved in a bad road accident and was taken to the ICU for days simply because the road sign was stolen, and there was a sharp bend he never knew about, and he went straight. He really suffered,” he recalls.
For six months, Kipleting watched his friend fight for his life. When he recovered, he told him: let’s go back and restore that sign. That one act became a calling. Since then, Rengstar has cleaned over 3,000 road signs. Three times a week, he fuels his motorbike and rides as far as it can take him — scrubbing, wiping, restoring.
“When dirty, they (road signs) can be misunderstood, and others aren’t visible because of dirt and can cause accidents,” he says.
But it has not been an easy ride.
“I have faced a lot of challenges from being laughed at, heavy rains, lack of fuel, and misunderstanding from some people thinking I vandalise them,” he says.
Sadly, so far no government agency has recognised him. Only well-wishers and his community, including popular content creator Arap Uria, have encouraged him. Yet he persists, because he has seen what a single sign can do.
“There has been a place it had been prone to accidents because of a missing bumps-ahead road sign, but I went and reinstalled it, and now it’s safe,” he says.
Importance of road signs
For Rengstar, a road sign is not just metal on a post. It is a life-saver. He believes it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect and use it rightfully because it saves lives.
The young man from Sugoi further notes that many signs are still missing across the region and should be replaced. What started as a one-man effort, he believes, should become a national campaign.
“This can be a national campaign to restore road signs,” he says.
He also had a message to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
“I would tell them to sensitise Kenyans on the importance of road signs and give me the job too. I love it, and I’m really passionate about it.”
In a country where road accidents claim thousands of lives every year, Collins Kipleting is proving that heroism does not need a uniform or a big budget. Sometimes, it only needs a rag, a bike, and a heart that refuses to let another bend take another life.
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Junior Starlets Mildred Cheche Names Final Squad for FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup
Junior Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche has named her final squad for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The group combines experience with new energy. Most of the squad is made up of players who featured in the qualifying campaign, while several fresh talents have been brought in to add depth. Among the newcomers are Peninah Fostine and Joan Agola, who impressed during camp and earned their places.
Mwanakombo Bakari has joined the squad, arriving from the USA on October 15 to link up with the team in Morocco. Faith Boke misses out on the final squad after being unable to recover from an injury in time. She continues her rehabilitation as she works her way back to full fitness.
The team travelled to Morocco on October 8 and has had time to acclimatise. They played two build-up friendlies, against Ghana U17 and Sporting Club Casablanca, to finalise their preparations.
The Junior Starlets open their Group E campaign against China PR on October 19, before facing the United States on October 22 and Samoa on October 25.
With the squad settled in Morocco well ahead of the opener, Coach Cheche’s side has had valuable time to adjust to the conditions and fine-tune their approach before the group stage begins.
Junior Starlets Final World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers
Mishel Okoyo (Wiyeta Girls), Martha Wekhomba (Nasokol Girls), Vallary Achieng (Nyakach Girls).
Defenders
Namisi Pauline (Desert Scorpions), Grace Mumo (Madira Girls), Bevarline Awuor (Mathare Women), Ruth Mulongo (Wiyeta Girls), Daisy Adongo (Katonje Mix), Brenda Awuor (Madira Girls Primary School), Khatenje Fleviah (St. Joseph’s, Kitale).
Midfielders
Bakari Mwanakombo (Spire Academy, USA), Beryl Okumu (Nyakach Girls), Noelina Akuku (Butere Girls), Lindey Weey Atieno (Raila School), Peninah Fostine (Nyakach Girls).
Forwards
Brenda Achieng (Kakamega Hill), Elizabeth Alizeba (Oding’ Primary), Emily Adhiambo (Nyakach Girls), Wambui Tabitha (Mathare United Women), Joan Agola (Nyakach Girls), Gaudancia Maloba (LWAK Girls).
Junior Starlets Group E fixtures
- Kenya vs China PR | 19 October 2026 | Mohammed VI Football Complex | 6 PM EAT
- USA vs Kenya | 22 October 2026 | Mohammed VI Football Complex | 9 PM EAT
- Samoa vs Kenya | 25 October 2026 | Mohammed VI Football Complex | 9 PM EAT
