Kenya

ATMIS troops withdrawal
FeaturedNews
Dek Farah

Will ATMIS withdrawal from Somalia turn it into an Afghanistan

Somalia occupies a crucial position along the Red Sea, where approximately 10 percent of global trade traverses—and that is a big deal. In the current landscape of global geopolitics, a power struggle off the coast of Mogadishu for control of Somalia is set to determine the authority over one of the most geostrategically important areas for global trade, encompassing Africa’s longest coastline. The withdrawal of African Union troops due to dwindling mission funding has raised concerns among analysts, who fear that Somalia may succumb to extremism, akin to Afghanistan. Others, however, state that with the right support, Somalia is ready to assume responsibility for its…

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BrandsNews
Dredan Njau, Kaunga Junior and Maryline Josephine

Netflix switches off free mobile cinema

The lobby of Anga Cinema at Diamond Plaza is crowded with fans taking pictures with newly minted star on the Red Carpet of Instant Dad which premiered over the Weekend in Nairobi. They mix freely with another set movie premier ‘Prayer for the Departed’ in the next hall of the movie theater indicating how Kenyan movie industry is rising as fans return to physical movie experience on the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. This shift in viewership away from binge watching Netflix while working from home is changing how movies are channeled to audiences as streaming companies review their ‘pandemic’ offers with Netflix withdrawing free…

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Kenya Haiti
In Brief
Newsroom

Kenya establishes diplomatic ties with Haiti ahead of police deployment

Kenya has formally established diplomatic relations with Haiti, a country whose gang violence has escalated since the killing of President Jovenel Mossé in 2021, which remains unsolved. Currently, criminals control large areas of the capital and are spreading into the countryside. Kenya has committed to deploy 1,000 police officers to train and assist the Haitian police to restore normalcy in the country. In August, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council that the conditions were unsuitable for a UN peacekeeping deployment. To destroy gangs and restore order, Guterres added, “police special forces and military support units” are needed. President Biden commended Ruto for joining

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In Brief
Newsroom

Kenya unveils hybrid maize seeds without pollen

Kenyan scientists have released a new maize production technology that will rely on hybrid genes that do not produce pollen to cut cost of generating seeds. Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation in partnership with Corteva Agriscience, the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa, Qualibasic Seed and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center have announced the release of three FNP hybrids (CHKM21W002, CHKM21W003 and CHKE21W001) which are adapted to low soil fertility conditions. The technology designed for Africa following trials in Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe under the Seed Production Technology for Africa (SPTA) utilizes a dominant non-pollen producing maize gene, Ms44, to create

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UHC Kenya
HealthNews
Nasibo Kabale

Why Kenya could miss universal healthcare dream

Financial shifts are likely to lead to the loss of health gains that occurred while receiving substantial external financial support, the International Commission of Jurists – Kenyan Section (ICJ Kenya) has warned. In a report, the ICJ Kenya revealed that the country’s reliance on donor funding and inadequate health financing could see Kenya fail to actualize the UHC dream by 2030.  ICJ states that dependency on key sub-sectors of its health system, particularly TB, HIV, and immunizations, which have a concentrated donor landscape of nearly 90 percent of all external aid, will lead to a funding gap for Kenya to fill when external resources decline. …

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Kenya Power
Counties

Kenya’s last-mile plan connects over 300,000 homes to power

In the period between 2016 and 2022, the second phase of Kenya’s Last Mile Connectivity Project saw about 1.6 million people in low-income communities get access to electricity. The initiative was backed by a $134.64 million loan from the African Development Bank Group. Project report from the AfDB shows the project introduced 18,000 kilometers of low-voltage lines into the distribution system. This expansion resulted in the connection of 322,279 households and small businesses to the national grid, a remarkable achievement that has far-reaching implications. For Kenya Power, the project breathed life back into its tree seedling nursery. This nursery, battered by drought, locust infestations, and

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Desert locusts
ClimateNews

Rain, regional conflict risks returning Dessert locust threat

The good rains risk creating the perfect conditions for breeding dessert locust at a time when regional coordination for fighting the cross border menace is at its lowest as East Africa is plagued by widespread conflict. Experts released the 65th Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum warning that as the rains persist in the region, the conditions might become favourable for desert locust infestation in the region. However conflict, that has rocked Ethiopia, Sudanese civil war, resurgence of terrorist activity in Somali and the Yemen crisis will make it difficult to coordinate cross border fight against the pests. Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) experts…

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Thika Superhighway
Counties
Kaunga Junior

Chinese contractors leave a mark on county and national roads

Since China Wu Yi (Kenya) Corporation, Sheng Li Construction Company and Sinohydro Company expanded Thika Superhighway nearly two decades ago, the rise of Chinese contactors has been unstoppable clinching nearly all roads, railways and energy tenders across Kenya. Chinese contractors used the Kes27 billion Thika Superhighway project, which began in 2009 to showcase what they can deliver. The highway, totaling 50.4Km of multiple lanes was delivered in record time as part of the Kenya-China mega project undertaking. And with their rise, hitherto big Kenyan contractors such as SS Mehta, Kirinyaga Construction and Put Sarajevo assumed lesser roles in the background.  Kenya, the largest economy in the

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Kenya Indonesia
NewsPolitics

Kenya and Indonesia forge stronger trade ties

In a move aimed at enhancing economic cooperation and trade, Kenya and Indonesia have announced plans to strengthen their ties and expand investment opportunities between the two nations. This announcement comes as President William Ruto of Kenya and President Joko Widodo of Indonesia held a bilateral meeting at State House, Nairobi, during President Widodo’s State Visit to Kenya. President Ruto emphasized the importance of fostering deeper trade relations and expanding investment avenues to achieve a more balanced trade partnership with Indonesia. The current investment and trade volume, valued at over $600 million in the past year, is set to increase as both countries explore new…

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In Brief

Private sector slump on feedback loop of high costs

Deterioration of the Kenyan currency, high energy prices and a higher taxes pushed cost of living out of the reach of many Kenyan leading to decline in consumption and political unrests.Dampened demand and political unrests are now causing second hand impact on companies as sales remain low and costs elevate, that saw the Stanbic PMI index dip to 45.5 in July from 47.8 in June.With higher inflation, Central Bank of Kenya is also jerking up rates cutting the lifeline of financial flows to private sector that will make things tougher.This shows that only strong resilient business will survive through the current multiple crisis by cutting

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