- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – A group of wildlife conservation organizations and specialists in marine biodiversity has challenged the issuance of a mining license to Base Titanium Company to undertake mining activities in the Tana River Delta in Tana River and Lamu counties. While presenting their…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – The Government will work with the agribusiness sector to enhance agricultural practices, sustainability, job creation, and food security. This was revealed by Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary, Ander Karanja, during his visit to agribusiness company…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has dismissed claims that Uhuru Park and Central Park are being leased to private entities, emphasizing the county’s commitment to enhancing the parks for public enjoyment. Speaking from City Hall, Sakaja clarified, “Uhuru Park is not up for…
- DEC 6 – A Boeing plea deal intended to resolve a case related to two fatal crashes of its planes has been rejected by a US judge. The plane maker agreed with the US government in July to plead guilty to one count of criminal fraud, face independent monitoring and pay a $243m (£191m) fine. […]
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – The National Treasury has launched an e-pension self-registration portal to digitize pension claims and curb fraud. Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo stated that pensioners must register by February 28, 2025, or risk suspension from the payroll. “This deadline is not…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – Havas Africa has launched Havas Market, a strategic full-service e-commerce offering aimed at transforming how brands engage with consumers across Africa. The platform is designed to optimize the entire shopping journey, leveraging direct-to-consumer platforms, retailer…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi has reiterated the need for strategic collaborations in advancing cross-border transmission and trade in energy among 13 member states ahead of the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) regional trade conference next…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – There will be no corruption in the Social Health Authority (SHA) as long as I am President, President William Ruto has declared. The President said the government is determined to eliminate corruption in the country to ensure Kenyans get value for their money in all sectors…
- TOKYO, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) — Japan’s average monthly wages in inflation-adjusted terms stayed flat year on year in October amid slower inflation and minimum wage hikes, official data showed on Friday. Inflation-adjusted real wages, a barometer of consumer purchasing power, had turned positive in June…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has reduced its base lending rate by 0.75 percentage points to 11.25 percent, aiming to stimulate economic activity amidst stable inflation and exchange rate conditions. CBK Governor Kamau Thugge cited a slowdown in economic growth during the…
- VIENNA, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, agreed Thursday to keep oil production at the current levels for the first quarter of 2025. In a statement released on the OPEC website, eight OPEC+ countries — Saudi…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – Treasury has launched the implementation of 1,236 projects valued at Sh. 8.1 billion aimed at improving service delivery in marginalized areas across the country. The initiatives, funded by the Equalisation Fund, will benefit approximately 6 million Kenyans in 34 counties,…
- DEC 5 – The price of Bitcoin has for the first time broken past the $100,000 mark, hitting a new record high. The value of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency has been boosted by hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will adopt crypto-friendly policies. The milestone was reached hours after Trump…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – Government agencies can now finance water projects through public-private partnerships (PPPs) following the enactment of the Water Amendment Bill 2023, signed into law by President William Ruto. The law empowers agencies like the National Water Harvesting and Storage…
- TOKYO, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — Japan’s Daihatsu Motor Co. has announced a recall of over 190,000 vehicles spanning six models due to a defect in suspension springs that can lead to corrosion. The recall, filed with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, involves vehicles…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – The government, in partnership with development partners, has developed a detailed sugarcane production manual with an aim of boosting cane productivity in the country. The partnership brought together the Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) and the German Development Agency (GIZ),…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – Kenya’s private sector activity improved in November, driven by increased output and new orders, according to Stanbic Bank Kenya’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). The PMI rose to 50.9, up from October’s 50.4, marking the highest growth rate in six months and the second…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 — TikTok has emerged as a transformative force in Kenya in 2024, revolutionizing creativity, entrepreneurship, and social impact, the platform reports. “TikTok continues to redefine how we discover, create, and connect through video,” said Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok’s Head of…
- NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 5 – Tullow Oil plc (Tullow) has announced that CEO Rahul Dhir will step down and resign from the Board in 2025 to pursue other business, academic, and family interests. The company has initiated the search for his successor, with Dhir remaining in his role until a smooth…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – County governments are defying austerity measures issued by President William Ruto, continuing to allocate substantial budgets to hospitality, travel, and sitting allowances for Members of County Assemblies (MCAs). A report by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakango reveals…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – Microsoft, through its Africa Transformation Office (ATO), has announced a new initiative to accelerate the growth of AI-driven startups across Africa. The initiative features a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA and builds on the success of the Microsoft African Startups…
- CANBERRA, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — Australian and Chinese researchers have made a breakthrough in desalination technology that they say could benefit billions of people worldwide. In a new study, which was published by the University of South Australia (UniSA), researchers found that common clay minerals…
- RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — A total of 8.7 million people in Brazil were lifted out of poverty in 2023, bringing the poverty rate down from 31.6 percent in 2022 to 27.4 percent, the lowest level since 2012, according to a report released on Wednesday. Extreme poverty, defined as living below…
- NAIROBI, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — Kenya on Wednesday allowed the sale and export of raw macadamia nuts for a period of 30 days, lifting a ban that was imposed early last month. Andrew Karanja, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, said that officials from the…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – Majid Al Futtaim, Carrefour’s operator in Kenya, has launched its first Retail Business School in Nairobi, aimed at upskilling over 1,500 employees annually and shaping future retail leaders. Located at Two Rivers Mall, the institution will offer 12 specialized programs,…
- JERUSALEM, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) — The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Wednesday lowered its growth forecasts for Israel for 2024 and 2025. According to the organization’s semi-annual economic outlook report, Israel’s gross domestic product is projected to grow by only 0.6…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Savannah Clinker, a local building and construction sector firm, has abandoned an earlier plan to acquire full ownership of Bamburi Cement. Already, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has approved the withdrawal of the offer in line with the Capital Markets (Takeover and…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – The Scrap Metal Council has reported a significant decline in vandalism and illegal scrap metal exports, attributing the improvement to changes in the council’s leadership and enhanced regulations in the sector. Council Chairperson Francis Mugo highlighted that curbing…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has announced the appointment of four new members to its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), replacing outgoing members who left in August. The appointments took effect on November 22, 2024, according to CBK Governor Kamau Thugge. The new members…
- DEC 4 – Police in India say they have reached out for information to Elon Musk’s Starlink after they allegedly found drug smugglers using its satellite internet device to navigate Indian waters and reach the country’s shore. Starlink claims to provide superfast broadband “almost anywhere on Earth…
- MOSCOW, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) — Russia’s new car market saw a remarkable 54-percent growth in the first 11 months of 2024, according to data released by the market analytic agency Autostat on Wednesday. Between January and November, sales of new cars reached nearly 1.448 million units, marking a 54.1-…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) has announced revised inspection and phytosanitary fees for importers and exporters of agricultural products. The new charges took effect on December 1, 2024, and apply to goods transported by sea and air. According to a…
- By Nicanor Sabula DEC 4 – Under the economic doctrine of price elasticity, higher prices of goods or services reduces demand. In the air travel sector, this has come to bear in various jurisdictions globally where an increase in ticket prices through taxation suppressed bookings as customers…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Asset financier MOGO has invested Sh192 million to finance over 1,000 electric vehicles (EVs), bolstering Kenya’s transition to eco-friendly transportation. Following the launch of Kenya’s first all-electric motorbike shop in May, MOGO has expanded e-bike availability to…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4– Visa has announced the conclusion of its 4 months accelerator program designed to support early-stage startups. The event held in Cape Town, South Africa saw the digital payments service enabler train 23 innovative fintechs for its second cohort of the Africa Fintech…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4-Premier Bank, a leading Islamic financial institution in Kenya, has announced a collaboration with Mastercard to introduce an innovative suite of Shariah-compliant debit, credit, and prepaid cards. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in delivering secure financial…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Counties are set to receive an additional Sh2 billion after President William Ruto signed the Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2024, into law. The new law allocates Sh387 billion to devolved units as their equitable share for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, up from Sh385…
- DEC 4 – After years of ignoring pleas to sign up to child protection schemes, the controversial messaging app Telegram has agreed to work with an internationally recognised body to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is used by major online…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Tanzanian business conglomerate Amsons Group has secured crucial regulatory approvals for its proposed acquisition of up to 100% of Bamburi Cement. This follows a nod by the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs of Tanzania and the COMESA Competition…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has rejected a proposal by the government to introduce VAT on air ticketing services supplied by travel agents. The Association Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nicanor Sabula, said the proposed VAT on air ticketing services will…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Galana Energies has unveiled a new brand identity in what it says marks a significant milestone in its evolution. Formerly known as Galana Oil and Delta Service Stations, the company has unified its operations under one umbrella brand – Galana Energies. The company says the…
- NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 4 – UNICEF Kenya is among six local organizations selected to benefit from the Giving Machines, a new and impactful initiative aimed at simplifying charitable giving. The Giving Machines are vending machines that allow individuals to instantly donate essential items such as meals…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 3 – The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) and SNV have unveiled a two-year strategic partnership to boost Kenya’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with a focus on women and youth-led businesses. The collaboration seeks to drive sustainable economic…
- SINGAPORE, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) — Two key suspects in a major corruption case were arrested in Malaysia on Tuesday after 19 years on the run, Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said Wednesday. The case involves about 51.2 million U.S. dollars, Singapore’s news network CNA reported…
- NAIROBI, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) — The population of Kenyans who had access to formal financial services rose from 83.7 percent in 2021 to 84.8 percent in 2024, driven by macroeconomic policy reforms and digitization, according to a report launched Tuesday in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. Compiled by the…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) has unveiled its World Unseen exhibition in Nairobi. The event, which runs through December 8, commemorates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and marks a milestone in the global effort to make art more accessible to…
- NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 4 – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), through its Senator Keg brand, has reiterated its commitment to making a positive impact in Kenyan communities as it celebrates two decades. Recently, KBL’s Commercial Director, Joel Kamau, led a team to visit the Nyamila Community-Based…
- CANBERRA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) — Australia’s economy grew a slower-than-expected 0.8 percent in the 12 months to September, official figures have revealed. According to data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, Australia’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.3 percent…
- NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) Chairman Eng. Nicholas Gumbo has championed the introduction of annual bonus payments for sugarcane farmers, similar to those received by tea and coffee farmers. Gumbo emphasized that significant reforms are needed to ensure farmers benefit as much…
- ACCRA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) — The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the third review of Ghana’s reforms, paving the way for immediate disbursement of 360 million U.S. dollars to support reform efforts, a release by the IMF said late Monday. The new approval brings…
