Author: Martin Mwita

Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company has announced  that it is launching an Amazon CloudFront Edge location in Kenya, which is expected to be operational in early 2020.

Amazon CloudFront is a highly secure and highly available Content Delivery Network (CDN) that accelerates the delivery of applications, data, and videos to users worldwide, with high transfer speeds.

READ ALSO:Kenya Space Agency intensifies use of science to curb drought

Kenya is the latest country to be connected to AWS’s global infrastructure network, which is designed and built to deliver the most flexible, reliable, scalable, and secure cloud computing environment with the highest quality network performance available today.

Customers across all industries in Kenya are benefitting from the flexibility, scalability, and security of the AWS cloud.

The improved and faster user experience, with local Amazon CloudFront infrastructure, will help in driving the development of even more web applications across …

Global Chinese technology company-Vivo has stamped its mark in the Kenyan market by setting its regional offices in Nairobi.

The firm has also unveiled the new V17 pro Smartphone in the Kenyan market.

According to the firm, the new V17 pro houses a total of 6 cameras on the front and back that allow users to redefine their selfies with the industry’s first 32mp dual pop-up front camera, a powerful upgrade to Vivo’s iconic elevating front camera.

V17 pro also houses cutting-edge features such as the super AMOLED ultra FullView display, professional-grade 48mp AI quad camera, plus stunning makeover features created to compliment the lifestyle of today’s young and stylish consumers.

Speaking during the event that was attended by senior government and private sector players in the telecommunications sector, Vivo Kenya CEO Arthur Xian said: “The creation of V17 pro once again showcases our strong consumer-centric innovation approach. The new …

Borrowers in Kenya should now expect interest rates as high as 30 per cent following the repeal of the interest rate cap law.

Parliament failed to raise the required quorum to defend the rate cap law which came into place in September 2016.

There has been a push by bankers, mainly through their lobby group-Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) to have controls on rate cap revised.

READ:Kenyan Banks begin feeling the interest rates cap effects

The law which has been in place for the last four years has controlled lending rates by commercial banks at four percentage points above the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Rate.

CBK has retained its benchmark lending rate at 9.0 per cent for the sixth straight time since bringing it down in July 30 2018.

This means banks could not charge loan at rates above 13 per cent, a move that was aimed at sparing …

Kenya’s population has grown by 9.9 million people over the last ten years to reach 47.6 million this year, latest official government data has revealed.

According to the 2019 ‘Kenya Population and Housing Census’ results presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta this week at State House Nairobi, the total population enumerated during the census exercise conducted in August this year was 47,564,296 persons.

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The results indicate that the female population which stands at 24,014,716 accounts for 50.5 per cent of the total population while the male population is 23,548,056 persons.

The 2019 census report, presented to the Head of State by Director General of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Zachary Mwangi shows that Nairobi is the most populous county in the country.

Nairobi , which is also Kenya’s capital city, has a population of 4.4 million people followed by Kiambu (2.4 million), Nakuru (2.16 million), Kakamega (1.87 million) …

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has agreed to invest in Kenya’s Big Four projects, a boost to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ambitious plan.

Investment by the fund will go a long way in helping realization of the Big 4 which incorporates revamping manufacturing sector, providing affordable housing, universal health care and food security for Kenyans.

READ ALSO:World Bank affirms support for Kenya’s Big 4 

The SFD has undertaken to rally similar organisations in the Middle East to invest in Kenya’s economy.

The announcement was made in a meeting between Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani and the Vice President and Managing Director of SFD, Dr Khalid Bin Sulaiman Alkhudairy.

Mr Alkhudairy said the Saudi Fund was keen in investing in Kenya’s affordable housing projects besides power, roads and education where it has already invested.

READ ALSO:Dubai owned bank expands network in Kenya

Alkhudairy said he appreciates that Kenya has …

Kenya and Jordan are in talks on deepening trade and bilateral ties, in the latest of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s charm offensive to attract investments to the East African nation.

Kenyatta on Tuesday held talks with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan where the two leaders discussed the progress in trade and bilateral relations between the two countries.

The leaders, who want their two countries to establish special status relations, directed their respective ministries to fast track the implementation of bilateral trade agreements.

READ ALSO:Kenya signs 8 treaties spreading wings to remote territories

President Kenyatta and King Abdullah II also discussed the progress by their respective nations in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

President Kenyatta and the Jordanian King met on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), a global financial conference hosted in Saudi Arabia where 40 countries are taking part.

The two leaders also …

Industries and households in Kenya could soon be out of frequent power interruptions and outages as Kenya Power kicks off live maintenance of power lines.

The programme launched on Monday this week is meant to reduce planned electricity shutdowns, enhance stability of power supply and improve revenue generation.

READ ALSO:How Kenya Power plans to manage electricity tariffs

The launch follows the completion of the pilot phase where more than 70 staff were trained to carry out maintenance of live power lines.

During the pilot phase, eight insulated trucks and three digger derricks were also acquired.

Following the success of the pilot phase, the World Bank has funded the programme to a tune of $20 million (about Ksh2 billion) for procurement of additional insulated trucks, tools and accessories, training of staff in live line maintenance techniques and establishment of a laboratory for testing live line equipment.

READ ALSO:World bank

The Kenya Power Board of Directors has appointed Bernard Ngugi as the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

This brings to an end to the short-term leadership of outgoing acting managing director Jared Othieno who has been at the helm of the company since July last year, when he temporarily took over to replace former graft embattled MD Ken Tarus.

READ ALSO:Kenya Power appoints interim management team after arrest of top bosses

Prior to his appointment, Mr Ngugi was the company’s general manager in charge of Supply chain.

The appointment now places a substantial boss in the top office at the Nairobi Securities Exchange listed firm , which has been struggling with dwindling profits in recent times.

Mr Ngugi has over 30 years’ experience in the company with expertise in financial and revenue accounting, internal audit and supply chain management. He holds a Master of Business …

Kenya is on the right path in the fight against corruption, The International Monetary Fund has said.

IMF Director for African Department Abebe Selassie has commended President Uhuru Kenyatta for spearheading the war against corruption, saying the country was well.

According to Abebe, the IMF is satisfied with the stable economic growth that averages between 5.5 per cent and 6.0 per cent as a result of the ongoing fiscal reforms that the Kenyan Government is implementing to ensure macroeconomic stability.

READ ALSO:Kenya whets investor appetite with Special Economic Zone

“Because of this, Kenya is a leading light in terms of economic reforms and growth in the region,” Selassie said.

The Director for the African Department of the IMF spoke on Monday when he paid the President a courtesy call at State House, Nairobi.

During the meeting, the President and Mr Selassie discussed the relationship between Kenya and the Bretton …

The Kenyan government is considering a Ksh1.6 billion ($15.4million) financing option for smallholder tea farmers across the country to help them diversify their products.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has said that the proposal, which is now before the Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua, and the Cabinet for consideration, involves a financing model for smallholder tea factories to set up black orthodox tea production units.

READ ALSO:Kenyan tea farmers capture World Bank’s climate change deal

Black orthodox Tea is loose tea which is produced using the traditional method of tea production:plucking, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying.

It has an aroma that is easily identifiable and fetches more prices at the tea auction than the normal tea – thus the need for enhanced production of this type of tea to help cushion farmers from the volatile prices associated with traditional teas.

“In a bid to help our tea farmers …