Browsing: President Uhuru Kenyatta

President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi signing the treaty of accession at State House, Nairobi. This follows the admission of DR Congo into the EAC as the seventh member of the regional bloc. www.theexchange.africa

By strengthening East Africa’s historical ties, DRC’s accession to the community is vital. The accession of DRC will improve both economic and geopolitical ties inside the Community.

A total of five EAC Member States border the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.

To that end, full membership in the EAC would benefit the people of DRC by allowing them visa-free travel to other EAC nations. In addition, the DRC will nominate nine members of the East African Legislative Assembly and justices to the East African Court of Justice, the Community’s judicial authority.

DRC’s eastern area, which relies heavily on the Dar es Salaam and Mombasa ports for its imports and exports, will benefit greatly from the country’s membership in the EAC, he said.

In terms of size, the DRC dwarfs all six EAC Partner States. DR Congo’s landmass is 2.4 million km2 in comparison …

Road traffic accidents constitute a significant health and development problem in Kenya. www.theexchange.africa

Currently, Kenya has one of the world’s highest rates of road-related deaths, with 26.6 deaths per 100,000 people, which is likely only to increase as it is believed that by 2030, road traffic accidents will account for more deaths than AIDS in low- and middle-income countries.

Motorcycles have also been linked to crimes. Lax regulations have seen contract killers, drug peddlers, robbers, rapists, con artists, and petty thieves establish a home in the sector.

The Government of Kenya has suspended the violent police operation against all boda boda riders after the horrible Forest Road attack on the lady driver who was involved in an accident with a boda boda.

President Uhuru Kenyatta directed a security crackdown across the country to wipe out rogue motorcycle operators from the boda boda sector following the recent assault of a motorist along Wangari Maathai Road, Nairobi.…

President Uhuru Kenyatta encourages investors to invest in the country. www.theexchange.africa

According to the Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, Khalifa Fund, and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development Chairman, the directive of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to establish a centre for innovation and tech-focused entrepreneurship in Kenya comes as part of the UAE’s ongoing commitment to contribute towards empowering talented innovators and entrepreneurs globally.

“With centres such as these, we provide entrepreneurs with resources, support and guidance to contribute to their local and global economy, bringing about positive economic implications and security,” Al Shorafa said.

He added that the collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and Kenya through the Khalifa Fund would see Kenya having the same levels of achievement as has been experienced in the United Arb Emirates.…

Kenya's Trade CS Betty Maina during the opening of the Kenya-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states business forum in Dubai. This is on the first day of President Uhuru Kenyatta's working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). www.theexchange.africa

The President said enhancing trade between Kenya and the Gulf countries would help to address the urgent need for jobs and economic opportunities for young people.

He especially urged business leaders from the private and public sectors to develop a special trading framework that will give preference to small and medium enterprises in the East African Community and the GCC.

At the same time, President Kenyatta expressed the need to develop a long-term solution to the many tariff and non-tariff barriers that curtail trade between Kenya and the Gulf region.…

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  • Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has unveiled the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) national scale-up and called on Kenyans to register for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF)
  • Kenyatta said the programme was started in the country in 2013 with the highly acclaimed free maternity programme dubbed “Linda Mama”, which currently benefits over one million mothers annually
  • On health infrastructure, President Kenyatta said the government’s investments since 2013 had seen an increase of 43 per cent in public health facilities from a stock of 4,429 facilities in 2013 to 6,342 currently

Universal Health Coverage for Kenyans

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has unveiled the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) national scale-up and called on Kenyans to register for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The President affirmed the government’s commitment to spreading the benefits of UHC across the country through the development of a focused policy to accelerate its implementation.

“My administration has developed …

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Diop said he was holding roundtable discussions with stakeholders in the pharmaceuticals and housing sectors to deliberate on how to collaborate in the areas of affordable healthcare and housing for the Kenyan people.

President Kenyatta and Diop also discussed a plan that Kenya is keen on implementing to manufacture vaccines.

Kenyatta noted that the Big 4 Agenda had opened opportunities for increased collaboration through the country’s Public-Private Partnership programme.…

Huaxin Cement launch. The company is targeting exporting cement from Tanzania. www.theexchange.africa
  • Tanzania's cement demand is estimated to have clocked 5.9Mt and is growing fast.
  • Maweni Limestone Ltd will be China’s first African entity producing cement on the continent instead of importing.
  • The newly purchased plant by Huaxin Cement has already been upgraded to a production capacity of 1.6Mt/yr.

If there is a booming industry in Tanzania, it is the cement industry – an industry that has more than doubled in production in under a decade.

As of 2011, Tanzania was producing 2.4Mt annually, a figure that has shot up to 6.5Mt as of 2020.

Compared to the previous year, the production volume of cement grew by 44.5 per cent and is associated with rising construction activity in the country.

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Another marker of how well the industry is doing is the amount of investment the sector is getting annually. Consider the most recent buyout of Maweni Limestone Ltd by China’s Huaxin 

US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken flanked by President Joe Biden. Blinken is visiting Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal to discuss furthering cooperation. www.theexchange.africa

For the five years since 2002, Kenya registered its golden period in terms of economic growth. This was during President Mwai Kibaki’s first five-year term which ended in 2007. The Kenyan economy blossomed with the growth noticeable in both industry and tourism as well as in improved livelihoods.
At this time, the growth attracted the attention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank because Kibaki’s government was not keen on funding from the Bretton Woods institutions. The government largely financed its budget from the revenues it collected which was unheard of in the previous regime. President Daniel Moi, Kibaki’s predecessor had deeply entrenched corruption in the country which wrecked the economy to almost collapse.
But today, the economy is worse than it was under Moi with the Jubilee government overseeing the worst job cuts, company closures and distressed livelihoods due to corruption. While the Covid-19 pandemic has …

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  • President Uhuru Kenyatta said renewable energy currently accounts for 73% of Kenya’s installed power generation capacity 
  • The Kenyan leader called on the international community to invest more in research, innovation and technology transfer
  • He also reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to the below 1.5 degrees climate ambition, and announced the country’s endorsement of the proposed Glasgow decision on ‘power and green hydrogen in the energy sector’

President Uhuru Kenyatta has told the international community that Kenya is determined and on course to achieving full transition to clean energy by the year 2030.

The President noted that renewable energy currently accounts for 73% of Kenya’s installed power generation capacity while 90% of electricity in use is from green sources among them geothermal, wind, solar and hydro-electric installations.

“Renewable energy in Kenya currently accounts for 73% of the installed power generation capacity, while 90% of the electricity in use is from clean sources. We …

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  • The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a US$150 million to support locally-led climate resilience projects in all rural wards in Kenya
  • The program’s development objective is to deliver locally-led climate resilience actions

The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a US$150 million International Development Association (IDA) credit to support community identified and locally-led climate resilience projects in all rural wards in Kenya.

In a statement, the organization says the resources will be channelled through the new Financing Locally–Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Program.

The program’s development objective is to deliver locally-led climate resilience actions and strengthen county and national governments’ capacity to manage climate risks.

“Kenya has demonstrated leadership in establishing a policy framework to manage climate risk though climate action is still underfunded.” said Keith Hansen, World Bank Country Director for Kenya.

“This financing will support the Government of Kenya meet its climate commitments to increase financing …