Browsing: Africa

China dominates as Kenya’s top import source globally 

Uganda is Kenya’s biggest trading partner within the East Africa Community (EAC), latest data show, with China dominating the global scene.

The Economic survey (2019) shows total trade volumes (import and exports) between Kenya and Uganda in the year 2018, were valued at Ksh111.3 billion (USD1.09 billion).

Tanzania comes in a distant second with a total trade value of Ksh47.6 billion (USD468.9 million) while Rwanda is third with Ksh19 billion (USD187.2 million).

Trade with DR Congo, South Sudan and Burundi, mainly export markets for Kenya, were valued at Ksh15.2 billion (USD149.6 million), Ksh12.9 billion (USD127.1 million) and Ksh6.6 billion (USD65.02 million) respectively.

Uganda

During the year under review, Uganda increased the value of its exports to Kenya by 17.6 per cent to close at Ksh49.4 billion (USD486.7 million), from Ksh42 billion (USD413.8 million) in 2017.

READ:Uganda keen on enhancing exports to

It has invested Ksh100 million to grow its fleet

Pewin Cabs has officially rebranded to PTG Travel in a bid to increase its market share by offering diversified service in the Kenyan market.

The firm, which is now moving beyond cabs after 10 years, was among the first to launch its cab-hailing App in 2013, a move that contributed significantly to corporate transport solutions in Kenya.

Speaking at the launch of PTG Travel, Managing Director Justus Kirigua, said: “We are excited about the opportunities the new brand offers us.  The transition to PTG Travel is anchored on a three-year growth strategy which includes a Ksh100 million investment to grow our fleet and increase our services to include Bus services, VIP Services and Charter Flight.”

The sum invested translates USD986,232.

Mr. Kirigua has since assured the existing customers that even with the identity change, the firm will continue to deliver greater …

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and other Africa transport ministers have rallied other countries on the continent behind the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

Sirika, at the ongoing Second Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee in Transport, Transcontinental and Inter-regional Infrastructure, Energy and Tourism in Cairo Egypt, made the resolution of the ministers known via his twitter handle.

The ministers, in the resolution concerning transport in Africa, “urge all remaining member states to join the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), ratify the African Road Safety Charter, the Revised Maritime Transport Charter and the Africa Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) Constitution.” Presently, only 28 African  countries have so far shown interest in the SAATM, even as the African Union awaits the decision of others to join the train.

According to African Union, SAATM is “Promoting intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa …

The venture is keen to achieve food security, income generation, healthy living and environmental awareness

It is early morning in the outskirts of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. A group of three young people are working in a field, using hoes to remove plastic bags and other solid waste from the soil in preparation for crop planting.

Together with other youth, they are raising seedbeds of vegetables such as kale, cabbage, spinach, carrots, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and other commonly consumed vegetables in Kenya.

The seedlings will later be transferred to gardens and irrigated for several weeks before the vegetables are supplied to clients in households and restaurants within Nairobi.

The trio are Mastercard Foundation Scholars, selected for their academic talent, social consciousness, and leadership qualities.

Mutoni Shadadi  from Rwanda, and her colleagues Laetitia Mukungu and JacquilineMaina, from Kenya, are pursuing their studies in agricultural sciences at EARTH University in Costa Rica.…

The factory can produce about 7.8 billion pellets of chewing gum annually

US headquartered Mars Wrigley Confectionery has cemented its business in the East and Central Africa region with the new state of the art Ksh7billion (USD68.9 million) manufacturing plant in Athi River, Machakos County, Kenya.

The plant was officially commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday. The President was represented by Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya.

Kenyatta has since hailed Mars Wrigley for putting up the new factory citing the need to invest in additional manufacturing capacity to create more jobs for Kenyans.

The investment gels well with his ambitious Big Four Agenda’s manufacturing pillar that seeks to increase manufacturing’s contribution to GDP from the current 8.5 per cent to 15 per cent by 2022.

“To create the desired jobs, we need to invest in existing and new industries that will grow our country’s manufacturing capacity …

Loans from China closed 2018 at USD6.2 billion (Ksh 627.1 billion)

Kenya will be keen to secure additional funds from China for construction of Phase 2B of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), as the World meets for the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing.

The forum which takes place this week is expected to attract a high number of Heads of States from Africa and across the globe, with thousands of delegates from over 100 countries.

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration is seeking a Ksh370 billion (USD 3.67 billion) loan to extend the rail project which is currently at its second phase of construction (Nairobi-Naivasha).

Phase one of the project, 472 kilometre Mombasa —Nairobi line, is currently operational having been completed and commissioned by President Kenyatta on May 31, 2017.

It was constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) on a Ksh327 billion (USD3.2 billion) …

Farmers could soon start pocketing 80% of gross earnings from Coffee

President Uhuru Kenyatta is committed to revive the country’s coffee industry if latest indicators are anything to go by.

One of the biggest initiatives announced by the government is the rehabilitation of 500 pulping stations (factories) in 31 coffee-growing Counties across the country.

Coffee farmers are also set to benefit a Cherry Advance Revolving Fund being set by the government; a kitty President Kenyatta says will be operational from July 1 when the 2019-2020 financial year commences. The current financial year (2018-19) ends on June 30.

In the coming fiscal year, the government will unveil Ksh3 billion (US$29.6 million) to be accessed at a much lower three per cent (3%) interest rate per annum.

This is much affordable to farmers whom a huge number currently depend on Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOS), which offer loans at a …

The service guarantees security and in-call stability, Telkom says

Telkom has introduced a new cloud-based fixed voice service dubbed “Omniconnect”, allowing SMEs and corporates to outsource for robust and secure cutting-edge technology.

Telkom Hosted PBX service will deliver a world-class end-to-end software and hardware system, powered by global technology company Avaya.

Besides making and receiving calls, the service will also offer other features such as conference calls and the ability to integrate with email and the mobile phone.

The subscription-based service will eliminate the need for businesses to make heavy initial capital investment to acquire and maintain the fixed telephone system; nor will they have to host the same on their premises.

Businesses can also flexibly upgrade or scale down the service, in line with changing needs and technology trends.

Telkom Enterprise MD Kris Senanu, said: “This solution will free corporates and SMEs to focus on their core businesses, without …

In a 2018 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), it was revealed that within Africa, about 15 per cent of all hospital activity and expenditure was a direct result of adverse events, and the costs of treating safety failures amount to trillions of dollars each year.

The investments needed to improve patient safety pale in comparison to the costs of harm.

Millions of patients across Africa die or are injured every year due to unsafe and poor quality healthcare. A majority of these cases could be avoidable through the implementation of digital health technology, with out-of-hospital care and monitoring forecasted to grow globally by 30 per cent to cross the $25 billion mark in 2019.

Ryan Sanderson, Exhibition Director of Africa Health Exhibition and Conferences, explains that the demands on healthcare systems in Africa are also increasing as non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease are …

The Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade) said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the country is set to participate in the first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo to be held in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan province between 18^th and 20^th June, 2019.

The body has also urged the local companies to grab the `golden chance` provided by the trade expo which will focus on trade, investment, finance, agriculture, mining, energy, tourism and infrastructure.

Officials will sign bilateral agreements during the exhibition, engage in investment promotions, and establish a “new mechanism” for future economic cooperation.

The expo is part of a slew of promises made by president Xi Jinping during last September’s Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing. During his speech to African leaders, President Xi proposed eight initiatives aimed at pursuing a “win-win” strategy giving new impetus to economic, political, and security collaboration. …