Studies investigating microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in surface water sources in Kenya are reviewed. CECs are chemicals that have recently been discovered that may pose a threat to the environment, aquatic life, and human life. Microplastics in surface waters range from 1.56 to as high as 4520 particles/m3 , with high concentrations recorded in coastal waters. The dominant microplastics are fibers, fragments, and films, but foams, granules, and pellets take up only a small percentage. The main source of pharmaceuticals in water sources is not wastewater treatment plants but rather raw untreated sewage, as high concentrations are found near informal settlements with poor sewage connectivity. Antibiotics are detected in the ranges of Limit of Quantification (LoQ) to 320 μg/L, with sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and ciprofloxacin being the most abundant antibiotics. The high frequency of detection is attributed to the general misuse of antibiotics in the country. The health risk assessment indicated that only ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen posed non-carcinogenic health risks in Ndarugo River and Mombasa peri-urban creeks, respectively. Similarly, the detection of antiretroviral drugs, majorly lamivudine, nevirapine and zidovudine, is associated with HIV prevalence in Kenya. In Lake Naivasha, Nairobi River and Lake Victoria basins, the frequently detected organochloride pesticides (OCPs) are methoxychlor, alachlor, endrin, dieldrin, endosulfan, endosulfan sulphate, α-HCH, γ-HCH, and DDT, some of which occur above the permissible concentrations. The presence of DDT in some sites translates to illegal use or historical application. Majority of the individual OCPs posed no non-carcinogenic health risk, except dieldrin and aldrin which had a hazard quotient (HQ) >1 in two sites. Therefore, more surveying and regular monitoring in different regions in Kenya concerning CECs is essential in order to determine the spatial variability and determine the effective measures to be taken to reduce pollution.