Thursday, March 28

Kenya

community health workers Kenya
  • Kenya has already enlisted over 107,831 community health workers through the Ministry of Health.
  • The target cohort of 25,000 will be trained in the first phase, according to the Resilient and Empowered African Community Health (REACH) initiative.
  • REACH will be implemented in phases, aiming to boost skills of the 107,831 community health workers employed by the Government.

Kenya has launched a community health initiative supported by the African Union geared to boosting primary health care at the grassroots, targeting under-served populations.

The programme, under the auspices of the African Union (AU) Member States, is known as Resilient and Empowered African Community Health (REACH) and is geared towards increasing Community Health Workers (CHWs) to over two million in the continent by  2029.

Under the first phase of the initiative, over 25,000 CHWs newly recruited in Kenya will be trained on community health and on the use of Community Health Promotion (CHP) …

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f014d77e112ff454426e06d433212fd7 Kenya Bet

On July 1, 2023, Kenya’s government announced a milestone change in the taxation setting by increasing the existing 7.5% tax to 12.5%.

Recent History of Kenya’s Stake Taxation

Njuguna Ndungu, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, explained that the financial maneuver focuses on fighting against underage betting among Kenyan students. He also spent a speech on the addictiveness of gaming and betting and their detrimental social consequences on families and, in general, on the country’s youth. This stake tax decision has been controversial for the government, which decided to double the tax rate from 10% to 20% in 2019.

On the other hand, this decision provoked a decrease in tax revenue, partially resulting from a market exit trend. Thus, the National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani reintroduced the tax in 2021. The same year, the government fixed the excise duty at 20% of the income from stakes and betting activities.

However, the Finance …

Smart Water Meters to be deployed as Safaricom partners with KEWI

Safaricom has partnered with the Kenya Water Institute (KEWI) to deploy Smart Water System in the water sector. Through the partnership, Safaricom will deploy the system at the KEWI’s Nairobi and Kitui campuses to facilitate practical training. The giant telco will additionally co-create and run a Smart Water Management curriculum for students at the institution.…

Kenya QR Code standard
  • New standard to guide how Payment Service Providers and institutions regulated by the CBK issue quick response (QR) codes.
  • Merchants will be able to receive payments from multiple channels such as banks or mobile wallets.
  • CBK says long-term use of standardized QR codes will facilitate the launch of innovative products.

Consumers in Kenya can now make digital payments in an easy, fast, and convenient way through quick response codes. This week, the Central Bank issued the Kenya Quick Response Code Standard 2023, also shortened as KE-QR Code Standard 2023. 

The service seeks to boost digital payments, which are offered by multiple financial institutions in the country. Normally, many companies use in-house payments solutions meaning customers can only use vendor-specific channels. Kenya’s financial industry regulator now wants to eliminate that friction through deployment of the new standard.

The regulator said the standard will guide how Payment Service Providers and institutions

Alice Munyua, Senior Director Mozilla Africa Mradi and Johnson Sakaja, Nairobi City County Governor during the MoU signing for their partnership to support tech-startups in Nairobi County.
  • The funding, Mozilla African Innovation Mradi, promotes ideas based on unique African user needs.
  • The program scouts for innovation that produce a meaningful impact on the African internet ecosystem.
  • Kenya is a leader in broadband connectivity, ICT infrastructure and is home to over 300 tech start-ups.

Kenyan tech start-ups are jostling for a pie of Mozilla’s $300,000 funding targeting projects solving unique user needs in Africa. The funding, a collaboration between Mozilla Africa Mradi and the Nairobi City County, will supporting tech-based firms in Kenya’s capital. 

Dubbed Mozilla African Innovation Mradi, the funding promotes innovation led by and grounded in tackling unique needs of users in Africa.

Africa Innovation Mradi leverages Mozilla’s role as stewards of the open web to promote innovation in African countries. 

The program establishes networks of partners and communities exploring and developing new projects and technologies. Winners will produce projects that offer meaningful impact on

Swiss Security Printer SICPA
  • Swiss authorities say SICPA was “criminally liable” for failing to prevent its staff from bribing foreign officials
  • SICPA has been slapped with 91.5 million fine for bribing officials in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.
  • The Swiss firm has been contracted by the Kenya Revenue Authority to supply tax stamps.

A Swiss firm contracted by Kenya Revenue Authority to supply tax stamps has been fined $91.5 million on graft claims. Security ink company SICPA has been ordered to pay the fine by Swiss Attorney General citing corporate criminal liability.

The Swiss Attorney General identified organisational deficiencies that saw SICPA staff bribe public officials in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. 

“Organisational deficiencies were particularly evident in the areas of corporate governance, risk management and compliance,” reads the press release by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG).

Ordered to pay a fine

“With the penalty order issued in accordance with Art. 102

Kenya's tea sector
  • Across the East Africa region, Rwanda posted the strongest performance.
  • Uganda’s economy grew by 4.4 percent in 2022 compared to a 6.7 percent uptick in 2021.
  • Tanzania’s real GDP expanded by 4.5 percent in 2022 compared to 4.9 percent growth in 2021.

Kenya’s economy recorded a slower growth of 4.8 percent last year as agriculture slumped due to severe drought. In 2021, Kenya posted 7.6 percent growth as the country emerged from Covid-19 induced economic fallout.

Latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics show that East Africa’s economic powerhouse growth outpaced its neighbours. Kenya saw its nominal GDP increase to $98.24 billion, from $87.98 billion in 2021, retaining its pole position over East African peers.

Uganda’s economy grew by 4.4 percent in 2022 compared to a 6.7 percent growth in 2021. The marginal drop was partly on account of recovery in hospitality and other service sectors as schools …

Most business executives in Kenya expect a stable economy after the August 9 general elections
  • KEPSA, Kenya’s private sector lobby, tables economic manifesto to spur jobs and wealth creation.
  • The proposal seeks to deepen social transformation, bridge inequalities and enhance governance.
  • The lobby group is also keen on investing in cutting-edge innovation and competitive human capital capabilities.

Kenya’s private sector plans to channel investments equivalent to 32 percent of the GDP each year, into key productive industries. The plan, which will be implemented in the next five years targets agribusiness, manufacturing, energy, financial services and infrastructure development.

According to the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) Chairperson Flora Mutahi, the initiative will spur business growth and create jobs.

A globally-competitive country

Ms Mutahi spoke when KEPSA hosted the Senate Liaison Committee Roundtable in Mombasa, bringing together the business community and the Legislators. The Committee is Chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the Senate Kathuri Murungi.

The forum sought to establish a partnership between KEPSA and the …

Kenya-CNN Promotion project.
  • 20 investments  in manufacturing, ICT, energy, health and agri-business have been signed in past two months.
  • Latest Kenya-US trade ties place the East African country at a pole position on attracting more American dollars.
  • Since President William Ruto took office in September 2022, Kenya-US engagements have been on a full throttle.

Deepening Kenya-US trade ties have started to pay dividends as American firms move to invest in East Africa's largest economy. With modern infrastructure, and skilled labour force, Kenya offers one of the best opportunities for US investors eyeing the region.

Currently, Kenya is the second most preferred destination by Americans seeking to invest in Africa. The 2023 US government review shows Kenya hosts 142 American firms while Nigeria has 195 conglomerates.

Latest developments, however, place Kenya at a pole position in attracting more American investors in the short to medium-term.

Deepening Kenya-US bilateral ties

Since President William Ruto took…

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