Kenya Roundup: Chebet wins world 10,000m gold, teachers' housing deal, and EAC staff crisis

Chebet wins 10,000m world championship

Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet captured her first world title in the women’s 10,000m at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships. Chebet surged past Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay with 200m to go, clocking 30:37.61 to secure Kenya’s first medal of the event. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti took silver while Tsegay settled for bronze. Chebet becomes the fourth Kenyan woman to win the title, following Sally Barsosio, Linet Masai, and Vivian Cheruiyot. “It was one of the most thrilling and tactical races in recent years,” the Nation quotes. Meanwhile, Kenya’s Agnes Ng’etich narrowly missed the podium in fourth place.

Exam cheating tops university discipline cases

A new Commission for University Education report shows 87% of disciplinary cases in Kenyan universities involve exam malpractice. Out of 3,841 cases recorded in 2024/25, 3,352 were tied to cheating, impersonation, or unauthorised devices. Lecturers warn that AI dependence and large exam venues are fueling the crisis. “The issue is over-reliance on AI by students to do assignments, so when physical exams come, they do not have content and hence struggle, pushing up the temptation to cheat,” said Dr Duncan Kimwatu of Dedan Kimathi University. Experts are urging reforms, including giving more weight to continuous assessment tests. 

Over 2,100 attacks on sexual and gender minorities

Kenya recorded at least 2,100 cases of violence and harassment against sexual and gender minorities between October 2023 and September 2024, according to the Lives on the Line report. These included 682 harassment incidents, 440 assaults, 91 sexual violations, and 102 evictions. Transgender people were the most targeted, facing nearly a third of abuses. “Lives are literally on the line, and society can no longer turn a blind eye,” said Adrian Kibe of the Kenya Human Rights Commission. Rights advocates point to systemic failures, including weak laws and under-resourced gender desks, as fueling impunity, the Standard reports.

20% of affordable houses for teachers

President William Ruto has announced that 20% of all units under the Affordable Housing programme will be allocated to teachers, citing their Sh900 million monthly contributions to the housing fund. The move was formalised through an MoU with teachers’ unions at State House. “This agreement guarantees that 20 per cent of all Affordable Housing units will be allocated to teachers, a step towards ensuring that those who dedicate their lives to shaping our nation’s future have access to decent homes,” Ruto said. However, the decision sparked public debate online, with critics questioning whether private sector contributors were being sidelined. 

EAC faces staff crisis amid Kenya’s funding row

The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat is grappling with a staffing shortage after short-term workers who form nearly 44% of its personnel were let go when the Council of Ministers failed to extend contracts. Kenya, chairing the council, walked out of key meetings in Arusha over unremitted contributions by member states, the East African reports. As of June 2025, only Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda had fully paid their $7 million annual dues. The bloc has 152 vacant posts, with critical gaps looming in departments like labour, immigration, energy, and fiscal affairs. Kenya’s EAC Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul Moe defended Nairobi’s stance, insisting staffing must align with available funds.