Thursday, March 28

East Africa

Uganda National Oil Company
  • The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) is directly importing petroleum products from Vitol Bahrain, aiming to reduce reliance on Kenyan firms and mitigate high fuel prices. 
  • UNOC’s direct importation and sale of fuel to OMCs in Tanzania and Uganda is a significant step towards fostering stronger regional ties, promoting economic growth, and ensuring energy security. 

Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) has started the sale of petroleum products to oil marketing companies in both Uganda and Tanzania.

This is part of a broader strategy to test the waters before UNOC embarks on a direct importation agreement with the global oil titan, Vitol Bahrain. This maneuver signals a new era in East Africa’s energy dynamics, especially following a cooling of relations between Uganda and Kenya over fuel supply mechanisms.

Breaking New Ground: Uganda National Oil Company Direct Importation Deal

For years, Uganda’s fuel supply chain was heavily dependent on Kenyan OMCs. However, …

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  • Effective March 1 2023, Lufthansa Group appointed Kevin Markette as the new General Manager for the East African region.
  • This encompasses Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.
  • Effective June 3, 2023, Lufthansa will expand its current connection from Frankfurt, Germany into Nairobi for the summer flight schedule from five to seven weekly flights.

The Lufthansa Group has re-affirmed its commitment to East Africa by relocating the commercial responsibility for the passenger business back to Kenya.

Effective March 1 2023, Lufthansa Group appointed Kevin Markette as the new General Manager for the East African region.

This encompasses Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.

With his position and team permanently based in Nairobi, he will be able to better focus on the needs of regional customers and through a physical presence in the region be closer to the market.

Markette succeeds Dr. André Schulz, who has been appointed Head of …

From Left to Right: Cabinet Secretary - National Treasury and Economic Planning - Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u and Commissioner of Insurance and Chief Executive Officer (IRA) Godfrey Kiptum share a light moment during a courtesy call to the CS at his offices at the National Treasury buildings on 6th February 2023.
  • Insurance industry paid claims worth $400Mn in three months from October 2022 to December 2022 representing a 3percent increase compared to the third Quarter of 2022 that paid claims worth $391Mn. 
  • Latest statistics from the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) indicate that the number of claims reported to the insurers were 2,040,600, a 12.6 percent increase compared to 1,811,141 claims reported in Q3,2022. 
  • General liability claims paid went up by 16.8 percent to 14,085 claims worth $42Mn from 12,055 claims paid worth $40Mn billion in the previous quarter. Non – Liability claims paid hit 1,714,723 claims worth $170Mn  representing a  1.8 percent from 1,684,698 claims worth $160.31Mn reported in Q3 2022. 

Insurance industry paid claims worth $400Mn in three months from October 2022 to December 2022 representing a 3 percent increase compared to the third Quarter of 2022 that paid claims worth $391Mn. 

According to the Quarter 4 of 2022 claims

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Investment in the diverse sectors of the blue economy will help create jobs for the youth in the East African Community.

This is according to the President of Zanzibar, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, who has called for foreign direct investment from East Africa and beyond in the island’s blue economy.

Dr. Mwinyi said that the island was open for investment in diverse sectors of the blue economy including deep-sea fishing, ports infrastructure, marine transport, petroleum and gas, and tourism.

“Zanzibar also requires heavy investment in modern agriculture, real estate and conference tourism,” said Dr. Mwinyi in a speech read on his behalf by the country’s 2nd Vice President, Hemed Suleiman Abdulla.

“Investment in these sectors will spur business within the East African Community in addition to increasing national revenue and improving the lives of the people of Zanzibar,” said Dr. Mwinyi.

According to the president, Zanzibar had been a centre …

JR Farms Limited

One of the leading agribusiness platform in Africa is determined to transform Agriculture in Africa.

The agribusiness platform dubbed JR Farms Limited is looking to achieve this by undertaking opportunities for growth and business that will engender sustainable food production and increased incomes for farmers in Africa. JR Farms is a Rwandan led agri-enterprise operating in Rwanda, Nigeria and Zambia in the areas of food processing and retailing, agro commodity trading and consulting. Its corporate goals are to ensure food security, end hunger in Africa and create decent jobs for Africa’s women and young people.

Also Read: Rwanda well placed for trading under the AfCFTA

In a bid to ensure that this is achieved, the firm has partnered with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop youth-led agriculture enterprises.

The two organisations have signed an agreement to promote youth involvement in agriculture and create decent work opportunities.

FAO and JR …

During the last decade much has been said about the urgency to develop the African agricultural sector to meet the increasing need for food security across the continent. Frequently it is stressed that Africa largely missed the “Green Revolution” since the continent’s agriculture sector did not transform into an intensive arena with modern technologies to increase the crop yield significantly1.

Until today the East African agricultural sector is dominated for 75% by smallholder farmers that apply low farming inputs, traditional technologies and methods, while agriculture remains the backbone of the economy2. This article discusses a reason for optimism, and how a circular economy (aims close the loop of resources through the establishment of restorative and regenerative systems), can contribute to food security and food productivity in East Africa.

Also Read: Food security: Opening markets for smallholder farmers  

Africa missed the Green revolution; an opportunity to implement

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has underscored the need for East African Community member states and the wider region to nurture peace and unity, saying colonial boundaries should not divide people.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has underscored the need for East African Community member states and the wider region to nurture peace and unity, saying colonial boundaries should not divide people.

The President said the region stands to achieve faster development if its people work together in peace and harmony.

READ ALSO:EAC countries rank among world’s rising stars of global trade

“We need to live together as brothers and sisters and respect all communities in the region,” the President said.

The President was speaking at State House, Nairobi, during a meeting with King Abdile Wabar Abdi, the Ethiopian-based traditional leader of the Degodia community found in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti.

King Abdi, who was accompanied by a huge delegation of members of the Degodia community from Kenya and Ethiopia, delivered a message of peace and unity to the President.

President Kenyatta said cultural diplomacy should be used as a …

Kenya’s low-cost carrier Jambojet on Monday made its first trip to Kigali International Airport as it launched scheduled flights between the Rwanda’s capital and Nairobi, bringing competition to RwandAir.

Kenya’s low-cost carrier Jambojet on Monday made its first trip to Kigali International Airport as it launched scheduled flights between the Rwanda’s capital and Nairobi, bringing competition to RwandAir.

With the launch of once daily flights from its Jomo Kenyatta International Airport hub, Jambojet officially becomes the first low-cost carrier to fly the route.

READ ALSO:Jambojet cuts fares by 50 per cent in 72 hour sale offer

This now brings competition to RwandAir’s doorstep which also flies to Nairobi at least three times a day. It operates domestic and international services to East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, Europe the Middle East and Asia, from its main base at Kigali International Airport in Kigali.

READ ALSO:RwandAir eyes more presence in New Zealand and Australia

READ:Qatar Airways plans to buy shares from RwandAir

Jambojet which recently expanded their fleet with two brand new De Havilland Dash …

Uganda Revenue Authority assistant commissioner IT James Kizza is the winner of the East Africa CIO of the Year Award 2019.

Uganda Revenue Authority assistant commissioner IT James Kizza is the winner of the East Africa CIO of the Year Award 2019.

He has been recognized for his “crucial role” in the trail-blazing digital development of the URA.

READ ALSO:Uganda Revenue Authority(URA) disagrees with importers over payment method

According to the judges, the role of the chief information officer (CIO) continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, and only those executives who advance in lockstep will enjoy prolonged success and better the enterprises that they dedicate their energies to serve.

The 2019 East Africa CIO100 jury led by Professor Louis Fourie, former VC at the Western Cape Peninsula University of Technology, flanked by Alex Ntale CEO – Rwanda ICT Chamber, Bill Sangiwa, Digital Transformation Expert in Tanzania, Charles Musisi, a senior ICT expert in Uganda and Elizabeth Ochieng, ICT director- Deloitte appreciated the high level of submissions for the 2019 …

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