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Speaking at an engagement ceremony in Uasin Gishu County on Saturday, January 3, the Head of State said the government is drafting a law that would make drug-related offences a capital crime, punishable by hanging. He emphasised that the legislation is a response to the failure of current penalties, which have not deterred traffickers and have left communities and families vulnerable to the devastating impact of drugs.

“For all these people who are involved in the illicit alcohol trade, we are going to change the law. In the past, we had a law with a clause that if you were caught selling substances, including hard drugs such as heroin, the only penalty was a fine of Ksh1 million (approximately 11 million Rwandan francs). Now we are changing that so that you can be hanged,” Ruto said.

He added that the law will also empower authorities to confiscate assets obtained through illicit drug and alcohol trade, including vehicles and property.

The President called on Members of Parliament to support the new legislation, noting that over five million Kenyans are affected by drug and alcohol abuse, which he described as a national crisis that threatens the country’s social and economic development.

The announcement follows Ruto’s plans to strengthen the government’s law enforcement response. In his New Year’s address at Eldoret State Lodge on December 31, the President outlined plans to establish a robust Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The unit, he said, will be trained to operate at the level of Kenya’s elite Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, with capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, forensics, and financial investigations.

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen supported the move, noting that countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, and China impose the death penalty for serious drug offences.

“We cannot achieve first-world status while the most productive generation is being wiped out by drugs and alcohol,” he said, highlighting the ineffectiveness of current fines in curbing trafficking.

Murkomen added that the government’s crackdown will target major drug barons and operators of illicit alcohol, with special attention to young people from well-off families who are increasingly becoming addicted.

Currently, one in every six Kenyans aged 15 to 65 uses at least one substance, with alcohol being the most prevalent, affecting over 3.2 million people.

Voter turnout was approximately 52.43% in the December 28, 2025, elections, which included presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal votes. The final results will be confirmed by the Constitutional Court in mid-January.

Analysts credit Touadéra’s victory to his efforts to restore peace and security in a country long plagued by armed groups and civil conflict. These efforts were bolstered by support from Rwandan and Russian forces, which helped the government regain control over much of the territory.

Following the pacification of key armed factions, Touadéra’s administration negotiated peace agreements aimed at ending hostilities and promoting collaboration on national development projects.

During his campaign, Touadéra highlighted that while his nine years in office had brought significant progress, challenges remained that he aimed to address in a third term. The election outcome suggests that a majority of citizens continue to place their confidence in his leadership.

Touadéra has been in power since March 2016. He was permitted to run for a third term following a constitutional amendment in 2023, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in November 2025.

“I am innocent. I am not guilty,” Maduro told the court, according to journalists present at the hearing. He told the court he had been “kidnapped” from his residence in Caracas and insisted that, despite being in US custody, he was still the president of Venezuela.

Maduro appeared alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, who also rejected all charges levelled against her by US prosecutors, saying she was completely innocent.

The court set March 17 as the date for the next hearing in the case.

The courtroom proceedings were tense and closely watched, coming just days after Maduro and Flores were seized in a dramatic US military operation. According to US officials, special forces extracted the pair from their residence within the heavily guarded Fort Tiuna military complex in the Venezuelan capital early on Saturday before flying them to New York.

During Monday’s hearing, a brief but heated exchange broke out between Maduro and a member of the public in the courtroom. At one point, Maduro described himself as a “prisoner of war”.

Earlier in the day, images circulated showing Maduro and Flores being transferred to the courthouse in handcuffs, surrounded by heavily armed officers. The scenes fuelled strong reactions both inside Venezuela and internationally.

In Caracas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president, a move that Venezuelan authorities said was aimed at ensuring continuity of government. During the ceremony, Rodríguez praised Maduro and Flores as “heroes,” accusing the United States of carrying out an illegal act against a sovereign nation.

Outside the New York courthouse, protesters gathered to denounce the US action. Demonstrators waved banners reading “Free Maduro,” “No War on Venezuela,” and “USA hands off Venezuela,” while chanting slogans against what they described as foreign intervention.

The US operation has triggered widespread condemnation and raised serious concerns across the international community, with critics warning that it represents a dangerous escalation in Washington’s long-running campaign against Maduro.

US officials have said the operation was planned for months and carried out without prior congressional authorisation. The Trump administration has defended the move as part of broader efforts to combat alleged drug trafficking networks linked to the Venezuelan leadership.

In a public notice released on January 5, 2026, RDB said the decision is aimed at reinforcing Rwanda’s position as a leading destination for domestic and regional tourism. RDB, however, clarified that the promotional rates will not apply during the peak tourism period from June to October 2026.

Under the extended promotion, Rwandan citizens and East African Community (EAC) nationals are required to pay $200 (over Rwf290,000) for a gorilla trekking permit. Eligible visitors must present a national identity card, a valid passport, and a birth certificate to benefit from the discounted rate.

Africans and African residents from outside the EAC will pay $500 for a permit during the promotional period. To qualify, visitors in this category must present a valid passport, a resident identity card or diplomatic card, and a valid visa covering at least four consecutive months.

Outside the promotional window, the standard gorilla trekking fee is $1,500.

Volcanoes National Park remains one of Rwanda’s most significant tourism assets. In 2024, the tourism sector generated $647 million in revenue, driven largely by a 27 percent increase in earnings from gorilla-based tourism.

Photos from U.S. media show Maduro landed in Manhattan by a helicopter from a Brooklyn detention center and was placed in an armored car, accompanied by heavily armed law enforcement officers.

Protesters gathering outside the court were shouting slogans and holding banners writing “Free Maduro” and “USA hands off Venezuela.”

U.S. troops carried out a raid on Saturday to kidnap Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them out of Venezuela, then put them in custody in New York.

“Congratulations to my brother, President Mamadi Doumbouya, on his election as President of the Republic of Guinea. We look forward to deepening our strong bilateral relations and working closely together to advance our shared priorities and the prosperity of our nations,” President Kagame said in a post on X.

Doumbouya’s win was confirmed by Guinea’s Supreme Court on Sunday, formalising his transition from junta leader to democratically elected president. The court validated the provisional results announced earlier, crediting Doumbouya, 41, with 86.72% of the vote.

The runner-up, Abdoulaye Yero Baldé, received 6.59% of the votes. The court noted that Baldé, who had initially challenged the election results with the Supreme Court, had since voluntarily withdrawn his complaint.

The election marks Guinea’s first presidential vote since Doumbouya led a coup in September 2021, which ousted Alpha Condé. The vote was held under a new constitution that removed the ban on military leaders running for office and extended the presidential term from five to seven years.

Rwanda and Guinea enjoy cordial relations, reinforced through exchanges of visits and cooperation across multiple sectors. President Kagame last visited Conakry in November 2024, joining President Doumbouya for the launch of the Simandou Iron Ore Project, considered the largest ongoing mining project in the world.

The Simandou deposit is estimated to contain approximately 3 to 4 billion tonnes of high-grade recoverable iron ore and is expected to reach full production capacity by 2030, with an annual output of around 120 million tonnes.

Bilateral cooperation has also been strengthened through agreements signed on October 9, 2024, in Kigali during a session of the Joint Cooperation Commission. According to announcements from both countries’ foreign ministries, the 12 agreements cover areas such as public administration modernisation, export promotion, tourism development, special economic zones, migration data management, defence and security, justice, economy, and trade.

“The partnership between our two countries is based on complementary and a win-win approach,” said Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. He noted that Rwanda can benefit from Guinea’s expertise in mining, while Guinea can learn from Rwanda’s experience in public service innovation and digitisation.

Although relatively new, the bilateral relationship has strengthened since Rwanda opened its embassy in Conakry in January 2024. President Doumbouya has expressed interest in adopting Rwanda’s development model, and the two leaders have met frequently to explore cooperation opportunities.

In addition to the agreements, both countries have established a follow-up mechanism to ensure proper implementation of recommendations from the first session of the Joint Cooperation Commission.

Valais Canton police said the 40 victims, aged between 14 and 39, included 21 Swiss nationals, seven French nationals, five Italian nationals, one Belgian national, one Portuguese national, one Romanian national, one Turkish national, one dual Swiss-French national, one victim holding French, Israeli and British nationalities, and one dual Italian-United Arab Emirates national. Many of them were minors.

According to the police, a criminal investigation has been opened against the two managers of the “Le Constellation” bar on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily injury and negligent arson.

President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin told Swiss media on Sunday that Switzerland will hold a national day of mourning on Friday.

Andean pan flute music provided the backdrop to the demonstration. Alberto Calderon, a member of a traditional Andean music group and descendant of Peruvian migrants, led the rhythm and guided the chorus.

He said the melodies, rooted in the Andean highlands and shared across Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and parts of Argentina and Chile, predate modern national borders and were adapted to address Venezuela’s current situation.

“Venezuela, an immortal nation,” the crowd chanted. “For your resistance, the peoples of the world stand with you.” Araceli Munoz Rojas, one of the participants, said she joined the rally to protest what she described as U.S. military interference in Venezuela, calling it a violation of international law and national sovereignty. Miguel Sanchez, a dual Spanish-Argentine citizen, warned that external intervention could set a precedent across the region.

As the rally concluded, the music and chants gradually faded, leaving participants emphasizing solidarity and the ongoing memory of foreign intervention in Latin America. “Even if time passes, I can’t forget you, it’s impossible,” the crowd sang.

Earlier on Saturday, the United States launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of Venezuela,” according to a post by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account.

The U.S. military action against the South American nation has drawn widespread international condemnation, with multiple countries calling for a coordinated global response.