The Common Pulse

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. When President William Ruto met Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Nairobi, it wasn’t just another diplomatic courtesy call, it was a carefully choreographed moment of African connection, symbolism and substance. The Senegalese leader had travelled to Kenya as chief guest for the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kitui County, an invitation that already signalled Kenya’s intention to deepen its relations with West Africa. The two young presidents, both seen as modern, reform-minded figures, used the meeting to underline a shared vision for a more integrated, self-reliant Africa. What unfolded over those few days reflected not only bilateral friendship but a wider ambition to strengthen continental solidarity in a time when Africa is redefining its global standing. At the centre of their meeting was a decisive agreement to abolish visa restrictions between Kenya and Senegal. From now ...

  B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. In a stunning blow to the underground world of cybercrime and digital deception, Europol has announced the successful dismantling of a massive SIM farm-for-hire platform that was fueling an estimated forty-nine million fake online accounts. The takedown, carried out after months of coordinated investigation across multiple jurisdictions, marks one of the most significant strikes yet against industrial-scale fraud operations that have come to define much of the modern internet’s dark underbelly. What began as a niche service for social media manipulation and marketing fraud has grown into a full-fledged criminal ecosystem, one that thrived on exploiting loopholes in mobile communication systems, identity verification processes, and online authentication frameworks. The recent Europol operation, however, has pulled the curtain back on the vast machinery of deceit that has quietly...

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. When Barack Obama first rose to prominence on the world stage, his story was instantly intertwined with Kenya, the land of his father. But beyond the personal connection, there existed another link, a man whose name carried political weight and revolutionary energy across Kenya and Africa: Raila Amolo Odinga. To understand Raila through the eyes of Obama is to explore not only a political kinship but also a reflection of two men shaped by struggle, hope, and the unrelenting belief in change. Both sons of Luo heritage, both molded by the power of oratory and the pain of division, both symbols of transformation in systems that often resist it. Obama’s perspective of Raila has always carried a careful balance of admiration, distance, and historical respect. During his presidency, he often spoke about democracy, accountability, and the need for African leaders to embrace institution...

By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. In a time of national mourning, such events often transcend political difference, offering a moment of unity and closure. When a figure like Gachagua, who was in high office just months ago, stays away or is absent, it sends signals. First, it invites questions about his motivations, whether his absence is deliberate, strategic, or due to a real barrier. Secondly, it hints at deeper rifts or calculation: in the eyes of many, someone in Gachagua’s position could either stand to gain politically by being seen to pay respects or risk losing ground if excluded or seen to be at odds with the national mood. Thirdly, in Kenya’s ethnically and politically charged climate, the absence of a leading politician at such a major event carries interpretative weight, perhaps a tacit message or a symptom of shifting alliances. The political undercurrents While on the surface this may look like an odd...

B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Raila Odinga’s passing is more than the end of a single life, it is the closing of a chapter in modern African political history, one that has shaped how citizens, parties, and states negotiate power, justice, and identity across the continent. Known affectionately as Baba, Raila was at once a symbol of persistent opposition, a pragmatic dealmaker, a skilled orator, and a patient survivor of political persecution. His death sent immediate shockwaves through Kenya, where thousands poured into the streets to mourn, and it is already radiating outward across East Africa and the continent at large, provoking questions about succession within Kenya’s opposition, about the future of reformist coalitions, and about the durability of political movements that were so closely identified with his personality and moral authority. Who Raila Odinga was Raila Odinga’s life reads like a condensed h...

By   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Kenya awoke this week to a silence it had never known before, a silence heavy with memory and meaning, a silence that comes when a voice that shaped the soul of a nation falls quiet. Raila Amollo Odinga is gone, and with him passes an era, a vision, and a fire that burned for justice, democracy, and unity. His death is not just the loss of a man, it is the closing of a chapter that began before independence and stretched into the heart of modern Kenya. Raila was never merely a politician, he was a symbol, a bridge between generations, a man who embodied the struggle of a people who refused to be forgotten. From the days he stood beside his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, watching the long and painful birth of a nation, to his final years as an elder statesman and moral compass, Raila’s life was intertwined with Kenya’s destiny. His name was whispered in prison cells, chanted in stadium...

  By   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. BOOM! Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is in Belgium for the NATO security meeting after a whirlwind trip through the Middle East alongside President Donald Trump earlier this week, and once again, it feels like America is back in full force on the world stage. Hegseth’s presence in Brussels isn’t just a routine diplomatic appearance, it’s a statement. It’s the kind of bold, unapologetic, chest-out show of strength that reminds the world what American leadership looks like when it isn’t bogged down by bureaucratic hesitation or hollow globalist talk. For years, NATO meetings were predictable exercises in polite diplomacy. Every country would nod, repeat the same talking points, and leave without saying or doing anything real. But this year, with Hegseth at the table representing the Trump administration, the tone shifted. Gone were the days of appeasement and overextended niceties. ...

  By   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Nairobi and Kenya Mourn the Passing of Rt. Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga The streets of Nairobi are alive with emotion, a city pulsating with grief and remembrance, as residents congregate in various parts of the capital to honor the life and legacy of the late Rt. Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga. Kenya has lost one of its greatest sons, a man whose name is synonymous with courage, conviction, and the relentless pursuit of justice and equality. Across the nation, from bustling urban centers to quiet rural villages, Kenyans reflect on a life that touched millions, a life dedicated to service, leadership, and the hope of a nation yet to be fully realized. A Life of Courage and Conviction Raila Odinga’s journey was marked by resilience, a steadfast commitment to principle, and the courage to challenge the status quo even in the face of adversity. From his early days in political activism to ...

  By   Peninah  Mbula/ The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Raila Odinga Dies in India: The End of an Era in Kenyan Politics The world woke up in shock as news broke that former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga  one of Africa’s most influential political figures has died at 80 years old while in Kerala, India . Reports from AP News and Reuters confirm that Raila suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic retreat and was rushed to Deva Matha Hospital , where he was pronounced dead. For decades, Raila Odinga was more than a politician he was a movement. From the streets of Nairobi to the corridors of power, he embodied Kenya’s struggle for democracy, equality, and reform. His voice, often defiant and fearless, inspired generations and reshaped Kenya’s political landscape. Sources from The Star and NDTV reveal that Raila had traveled to India for rest and medical care following prior health conc...

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news/Ethiopia/Eritrea /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025.  “A Star Wears Her Hat No More: Diane Keaton Passes at 79” When Hollywood lost one of its most original voices, the world took a collective breath. Diane Keaton, the quirky, fearless, unforgettable icon, died on October 11, 2025, at the age of 79.  Her passing leaves an emptiness in film, fashion, and hearts everywhere. Legacy in Frames: From The Godfather to Annie Hall Roots & Rise Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, she adopted “Keaton” as her stage name as she moved into the world of theatre and film.  She broke out early with The Godfather (playing Kay Adams), and went on to collaborate with Woody Allen in Annie Hall (1977), a role that earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress.  Range & Reinvention Her filmography reads like a masterclass in versatility: she moved effortlessly between comedy ( The First Wives Cl...