Browsing: Kenya

• Authorities across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Sudan harassed activists and government critics in spirited attempt to suppress dissent in 2024.
• Human Rights Watch says harassment, intimidation, and arrests of journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition figures intensified.
• In Kenya, senior government officials including President William Ruto threatened the courts for making decisions unfavourable to his administration.

Millions of civilians across countries in East Africa bore the brunt of human rights violations orchestrated by either government security organs or armed groups in 2024, further deteriorating the region’s respect for human rights, a new report by Washington-based Human Rights Watch states.

According to the group’s World Report 2025, authorities in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Sudan continued to harass activists and government critics in their spirited attempt to suppress dissent during the year under review.

“Armed forces and armed groups in Sudan and Ethiopia have deliberately targeted civilians and …

• Abu Dhabi is gearing up to invest in Kenya’s critical sectors including ports, logistics, agriculture and energy.
• President William Ruto says the landmark deal will more than triple Kenya’s exports of meat products, fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, tea and coffee to the UAE.
• Agreement also targets the services sector with Kenyan providers in education, transport, construction, and engineering now poised to have a better access to opportunities in the UAE.

Kenya-UAE economic relations are set to enter a new phase following the signing of a deal by authorities in the United Arab Emirates to invest heavily in the East African country’s critical industries including ports, logistics, agriculture and energy.

The agreement, dubbed Kenya-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), is set to redefine trade, investment, and economic partnerships between the two countries. CEPA is part of the Gulf nation’s initiative to step up its foreign investment portfolio, a program that saw …

• The trials for the East Africa Electric Highway power supply project are underway.
• This initiative on power sharing is forecast to earn Ethiopia $200 million annually. 
• Currently, Ethiopia produces all power for its national grid from renewable sources.

The East Africa Electric Highway project is lighting up a new era of regional integration, with power supply trials now linking Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. This ambitious initiative, poised to transform energy trade in the region, is expected to generate an impressive US$200 million annually for Ethiopia in its initial phase.

Following the successful completion of an advanced power connection between Ethiopia and Kenya, the project has extended its reach to Tanzania. With the power infrastructure now in place, distribution trials are underway, marking a significant milestone in East Africa’s quest for sustainable energy solutions and economic collaboration.

“This regional power connection is set to enhance cooperation among the involved nations by …

• With Acumen’s boost, d.light will speed up operations in Uganda, where about 2M people will access electricity for the first time.
• By selling customer receivables to Brighter Life by d.light (BLd) upfront, d.light subsidiaries now have immediate cash flow, enabling them to scale at speed.
• This funding model not only supports financial sustainability but also mitigates currency risks by conducting transactions in local currencies.

For solar-power equipment provider d.light, the journey to lighting homes across East Africa with reliable green energy is fast gaining momentum.

In the latest move, d.light has received a $5 million investment from Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach (H2R) initiative. This funding is poised to enhance d.light’s presence in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Acumen’s investment in d.light’s multi-country receivables financing facility, Brighter Life by d.light (BLd), aims to expand energy access for underserved communities in East Africa, creating a huge impact on millions of lives.

Acumen’s H2R is a …

• Food security, livelihoods, and economies are threatened as extreme weather conditions hit Africa hard.
• Citizens are now calling for bold action from their governments and the global community to combat this worsening crisis.
• Over 82% of Africans advocate for measures to protect communities against extreme floods, droughts, and environmental degradation.

 As climate change tightens its grip, the African continent is bearing the brunt of extreme weather conditions that have profoundly impacted food security, livelihoods, and economies.

A recent Afrobarometer survey paints a stark picture of the hard reality for millions of Africans: worsening droughts and crop failures are threatening their very survival. Citizens are now calling for bold action from their governments and the international community to combat this worsening crisis.

A decade of declining agricultural yields

Over the past decade, the majority of Africans report an alarming increase in the severity of droughts and crop failures. According to Afrobarometer…

• Fintech Raenest will be the key sponsor of the seventh edition of Africa Tech Summit Nairobi in February 2025.
• The a B2B Summit, expo, and awards forum projects to attract over 2,000 industry leaders, corporates, investors, and global delegates.
• Conference will feature four key track themes: Africa Money & DeFi, Africa Climate Tech & Investment, Africa Startup, and the Africa Mobile & App segments.

For the second year in a row, Nigerian fintech heavyweight Raenest is set to headline the Africa Tech Summit 2025 edition, reaffirming the company’s commitment to fostering growth, and collaboration in Africa.

According to the organizers, Raenest will be the key sponsor of the seventh edition of Africa Tech Summit Nairobi, which is set to be held on February 12th and 13th, 2025, at the Sarit Expo Centre.

“We are thrilled to continue as the headline sponsor of Africa Tech Summit Nairobi. This platform is pivotal …

• Kenya’s diaspora remittances in October increased by $18.7 million compared a month earlier.
• CBK in its weekly dispatch announced that the cumulative inflows for the 12 months to October 2024 increased by 15.3%.
• Despite the dollar inflows from diaspora remittances, Kenya’s currency weakened marginally against the USD in the week ending Nov 15.

Kenya’s diaspora remittances increased by $18.7 million (KSh2.4 billion) between September and October 2024, the latest data from the Central Bank shows. Kenyans living and working abroad wire home $437.2 million (KSh56.7 billion) in October, a significant increase from the $418.5 million (KSh54.4 billion) reported the previous month.

Compared to a similar period last year this was an increase of 22.9 per cent when the foreign remittance stood at Ksh46 billion ($355.6 million).

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) in its weekly bulletin published on Friday, November 15, announced that the cumulative inflows for the 12 months …

• Africa’s hospitality sector has matured in ways that not only meet but anticipate the desires of modern travellers.
• By embracing responsible tourism, fostering local community interactions, and providing avenues for health and wellness, Africa is redefining what it means to travel meaningfully.
• Africa’s lower cost of living is making it an attractive destination for digital nomads.

Africa’s hospitality sector has long offered unique experiences and the 2025 travel trends show a continent aligning in unique way to tap changing preferences of holidaymakers from different source markets across the world.

By February this year, an estimated 150,000 European tourists had visited South Africa. The succeeding months look promising as this year’s United Nations Tourism Report says there is increasing interest in East and West Africa holiday destinations by holidaymakers from Europe.

At the moment, tourists from Britain and German are the trailblazers with their changing values and preferences setting the tone …