Prime News Agency

BY NJOKI KARANJA. A secretive Egyptian airbase hidden deep in the Western Desert has emerged as a crucial hub in the rapidly escalating drone war over Sudan, marking a significant shift in Cairo’s role in the region’s bloodiest conflict. According to a detailed investigation by The New York Times, the facility—officially known as East Oweinat Airport—has been used for months to launch long-range drone strikes deep into Sudanese territory. The base, the report says, is carefully disguised amid vast circular wheat fields whose geometric patterns, visible from space, help conceal runways and military infrastructure by blending them into what appears to be an ambitious agricultural project. Satellite imagery, flight records, field videos and interviews with American, European and Arab officials reveal that the site has become a major node in the Sudanese civil war, which has raged for more than a thousand days and increasingly revolves around the use of unmanned aerial vehicles...

BY NJOKI KARANJA Nairobi, Kenya.  Kenya is hosting a major continental meeting of Indigenous pastoralist leaders this week as Africa prepares for the United Nations’ International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026). The African Indigenous Pastoralists Gathering, taking place from January 25 to 29 in Nairobi, brings together about 100 delegates from across North, West, Central, Southern, and East Africa. Convened at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies, the gathering is aimed at forging a unified African pastoralist agenda ahead of key global policy moments, including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP17. The meeting is organized by a coalition of institutions, including IMPACT Kenya, the African Forum of Pastoralists (AFPAT), the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), and the State Department for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Development. Pastoralism remains one of Africa’s most widespread and environmentally sign...

BY NJOKI KARANJA.  The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Saturday that their air defense units shot down a Turkish-made Bayraktar drone in the Al-Farshaya area of South Kordofan State, according to a statement issued by the group’s official spokesperson. The RSF said the drone was intercepted while allegedly attempting to target civilians, describing the incident as part of what it called a series of drone and air attacks carried out by forces it accuses of being aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. The group claimed that such attacks have resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians over the course of the current month. In its statement, the RSF reiterated its commitment to protecting civilians and confronting aerial attacks carried out using unmanned aerial vehicles. It accused opposing forces of deliberately targeting residential neighborhoods, public facilities, and critical infrastructure, actions it said constitute a “clear violation of international laws a...

BY NJOKI KARANJA Nairobi, Kenya — January 2026. Kenya Railways has taken a major step toward restoring rail connectivity between the coast and the region’s hinterland after successfully conducting a test ride along the Uplands–Kijabe–Longonot section of the Metre Gauge Railway (MGR). The test run marks a critical milestone in preparations to resume freight operations on the corridor, which has remained closed since April and May 2024 when unusually heavy rainfall washed away sections of the track around Kijabe, rendering the line impassable. The disruption had far-reaching consequences for regional trade, halting rail transportation between the Port of Mombasa, Kenya’s inland markets and neighboring countries. Freight movement of farm inputs and produce, steel products, containerized cargo and other conventional goods was significantly affected. Speaking during the test ride, Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga described the development as a major boost to the co...

BY NJOKI KARANJA January 8, 2026. Industry experts in Kenya’s built environment have issued a sharp rebuke to authorities and construction professionals following the collapse of a building in South C that claimed the lives of two security guards, calling the tragedy a clear failure of enforcement, professionalism, and governance. Speaking during a joint press briefing, the stakeholders described the incident as “entirely preventable” and warned that it reflects a deeper, long-standing crisis in the country’s construction sector. According to the experts, only about 15 percent of buildings nationwide are currently considered structurally safe, a statistic they say should alarm policymakers and the public alike. “This is not an accident—it is the outcome of ignored standards, compromised approvals, and a culture of impunity,” the group stated. A Systemic Safety Crisis The South C collapse has once again put the spotlight on widespread non-compliance with building regulations...

BY NJOKI KARANJA  Nyala, South Darfur. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Thursday evening that its air defense units shot down a Turkish-made Akinci drone over the city of Nyala, claiming the aircraft was attempting to strike civilians as part of ongoing air operations by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). In a statement issued by its official spokesperson, the RSF accused the SAF—described by the paramilitary group as operating under the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood—of carrying out a series of drone attacks on civilian areas across Darfur. The RSF alleged that recent strikes have targeted hospitals and public markets in the Al-Zuruq area of North Darfur, actions it described as grave violations of international law. “Our forces affirm their high level of readiness to confront aerial attacks and their ability to protect civilians,” the statement said, adding that near-daily drone strikes have hit residential neighborhoods, public facilities, infrastructure, an...