Mwai Kibaki

Palace Intrigues
William Ruto, Florentino Pérez, Ibrahim Magassa

Intrigues big and small: every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

KenyaWilliam Ruto's two-pronged crusade against alcohol and drugs

Ivory CoastIvorian banker Ibrahim Magassa teams up with Real Madrid's Florentino Pérez

KenyaKikuyu Elders' particularly political New Year's Eve

Kenya
Ahead of elections, Ruto seeks to settle land disputes

Recently granted expanded powers, the state agency responsible for public land management is to decide on the relocation of hundreds of families displaced by local conflicts over the past few decades. This highly political issue comes just a year and a half before the presidential race.

Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan
Kiir, Ruto and Abiy want to revive their corridor project

The governments of the three countries along the LAPSSET corridor want to accelerate the project to make up for lost time. However, a lack of funding is expected to be a major obstacle.

Kenya, Uganda
Despite efforts, Nairobi and Kampala struggle to see eye to eye

Friendly relations between William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni will not be enough to bury the hatchet on long-standing border disputes between the two countries. The involvement of Kenyan activists on the Ugandan political scene is also a sore subject.

Kenya
Ruto's inner circle mounts State House mole hunt

The chain of revelations by certain opposition leaders, especially ousted deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, are vexing President William Ruto's entourage. His close allies have set themselves the task of tracing the source of these leaks.

Kenya
William Ruto woos warhorses from the Western region

The Kenyan president continues to forge alliances ahead of the 2027 election. He is trying to curry favour with a range of political bigwigs and former ministers from the Western, Nyanza and Rift Valley regions.

Kenya
Ex-interior secretary Fred Matiang'i one step closer to presidential candidacy

Former strongman of Uhuru Kenyatta's administration hopes to gain the support of the latter's Jubilee Party in the 2027 campaign. Meanwhile, the rest of the opposition remains divided on what approach to take.

Kenya
Kenyatta clan and ousted VP differ over 2027 election strategy

Central Kenya's elites and Uhuru Kenyatta's family want to join a political party that would support Kalonzo Musyoka's presidential bid. For his part, the recently deposed Rigathi Gachagua would prefer to set up his own party, which would put forward a different candidate.

Kenya
Odinga's departure prompts ODM infighting

Senior executives of the Orange Democratic Movement, Kenya's second largest political party, are not taking kindly to the promotion of Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang' Nyong'o as interim leader. In addition to his age and attitude towards them, Nyong'o's pro-government line has distanced him from many ODM executives.

Kenya
Sinohydro bags $24m World Bank irrigation contract

The Chinese giant's new contract is worth $24m.

Kenya
Gachagua stumbles again in his would-be fiefdom

Kenya's deputy president has long striven to emerge as the most powerful politician in the Mount Kenya region. But numerous obstacles stand in his way, including the former resident of State House.

Kenya
Nairobi International Financial Centre strives to make its mark

Kenya's virtual special economic zone is looking to attract more foreign investors by offering them favourable tax arrangements. But it is contending with a complicated political and economic context.