Top news items in major Kenyan media outlets

The following are news in major Kenyan media outlets on Thursday.

-- Cracks widen in Opposition outfit National Super Alliance (NASA) after two leaders on Wednesday demanded an apology from an affiliate party for releasing a statement that the coalition had settled on Raila Odinga as its flagbearer.

The two leaders said no deal had been struck and that the statement was premature and inaccurate. They added that the progress on the search for NASA's flagbearer had been challenged by too many rumours and speculation. (Daily Nation)

-- A four-year countrywide search for the deadly Ebola, Zika and Marburg viruses in local bats has identified germs that are potentially dangerous to Kenyans.

A collaboration between Kenya and China has found local bats host viruses closely related to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars). (The Standard)

-- A ten-fold rise in house prices since 2000 has blocked millions of potential buyers from the market, worsening Kenya's home ownership crisis, the World Bank said Wednesday. (Business Daily)

-- President Uhuru Kenyatta has said he will on Labor Day ask the private sector to give workers a salary increment. He said better pay will motivate workers to be more productive. (People Daily)

-- A Court of Appeal in Juba has ordered the retrial of four Kenyans who had been jailed for 72 years each. They were among 16 people who in June 2016 were imprisoned over allegations of forgery and money laundering, resulting in the loss of 14 million U.S. dollars from President Salva Kiir's office. (The Star) Endit