Browsing: President William Ruto

• 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 …

• Kenya’s education sector is set to receive nearly $32 million of investment from the United States to support new partnerships between the two countries.
• part of the investment, $850,000, will go towards supporting the Ed-tech Africa initiative
• The funding includes a new $24.5 million early-grade literacy program.
• USAID Counselor Clinton White signed the deal alongside Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Mudavadi.

STEM education is a teaching approach that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics related fields. Kenya’s education sector is set to receive nearly $32 million of investment from the United States to support new partnerships between the two countries. This is to drive innovation, research, and job growth in the country’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related fields.

The funding announcement was made during the strategic partnership signing event in Atlanta, USA, during President William Ruto’s four-day US visit.

The US expects the deal signed on Tuesday to …

• US Congress members ask Speaker Mike Johnson to invite President Ruto to address the assembly.
• President Ruto will be visiting the US on May 23 to mark 60 years of US-Kenya diplomatic ties.
• If invited, President Ruto would become the first Kenyan Head of State to address a joint session of US Congress.

In a historic plan highlighting the deepening ties between the United States and Kenya, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (Republican – Texas) and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (Democrat – New York) have jointly sent a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (Republican – Los Angeles, asking him to extend a formal invitation to President William Ruto of Kenya to address a joint session of Congress during his upcoming visit to the US, slated later in May.

“This year, we are celebrating the historic 60-year anniversary of the U.S.-Kenya diplomatic relationship. Such an invitation …

• There is a Climate Funding gap of 40 billion dollars in blue carbon, yet no Kenyan firms are undertaking it.
• According to the World Bank, Kenya remains vulnerable to frequent climatic shocks that pose significant economic risks.
• The East African country has been gravely affected by changing weather patterns and a fall in disposable income available for necessities.

Despite their considerable potential, Kenya is foregoing billions of dollars in untapped climate financing opportunities. While many startups are entering this sector, industry experts argue that the current figure remains insufficient to combat climate change adequately.

Pangea Accelerator, an investment platform that provides funding for startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), says that the region needs to grow the number of startups, fully focusing on the environment. The Founder of Pangea, Jonas Tesfu, says that as a country, Kenya needs to have a lot of innovative businesses join climate change initiatives …

• In 2023, Kenya’s economy experienced real GDP growth, surging from 4.8% in 2022 to an estimated 5 per cent.
• Kenya’s agriculture, which had grappled with severe drought, recovered with critical crops, such as tea and coffee, displaying remarkable resilience.
• High cost of living, exchange rate pressures, and global economic uncertainties remain persistent risks to growth this year.

In 2023, Kenya’s economy strengthened, defying persistent challenges as highlighted in the World Bank’s 28th edition of the Kenya Economic Update (KEU). Despite facing continued hurdles, East Africa’s biggest economy experienced an acceleration in real GDP growth, surging from 4.8 per cent in 2022 to an estimated 5 per cent in 2023.

This economic performance is a testament to Kenya’s ability to navigate adversities and build a foundation for sustainable economic growth.

Agriculture helped revive Kenya’s economy in 2023

A key factor contributing to Kenya’s revival of economic performance in 2023 was the …

• President William Ruto’s announcement of Kenya’s visa-free entry policy for all visitors starting January 2024 marks a paradigm shift in the region’s economic and social landscape.
• The policy is expected to boost Kenya’s economy by attracting more tourists and business travellers, thus increasing revenue and foreign exchange.
• Addressing the accompanying challenges will be crucial to ensuring the policy’s success and sustainable growth in the region.

Kenya, a country known for its rich wildlife, vibrant culture, and dynamic economy, is poised to make a significant leap in becoming a hub for investors and business in East Africa. President William Ruto’s announcement of Kenya’s visa-free entry policy for all visitors starting January 2024 marks a paradigm shift in the region’s economic and social landscape. As the visa-free entry date nears, it is important to explore how Kenya is set to redefine the dynamics of business and investment in East Africa.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has committed an additional $938 million to Kenya as part of a strategy to stabilise the country’s economy.…

International delegates have gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, hoping to make further progress towards a landmark treaty to address global plastic pollution. The meeting is happening at the UNEP headquarters as negotiators seek to solve the scourge of pollution resulting from more than 430 million metric tonnes of plastic waste produced annually.
More than 2,000 delegates have attended the global plastics summit. They include representatives from environmental organisations, the oil and gas industry, and civil society groups. The delegates in Nairobi will mull two options: a wide-ranging strategy targeting plastics production or a limited approach focussed on waste management.…

In a recent announcement during the US-Africa Business Roundtable in the United States, Kenya’s President William Ruto revealed that Safaricom, a leading telecommunications company, is establishing a strategic partnership with Apple Inc. The Safaricom-Apple partnership will integrate the widely-used mobile money platform, M-Pesa, with Apple’s ecosystem. This integration will expand M-Pesa’s mobile financial services globally.
President William Ruto announced the deal after he toured Silicon Valley in San Francisco Bay, United States, on 16 September. The Kenyan leader is fast gaining popularity across Africa and globally. He has led from the front in marketing Kenya as a conducive ground for foreign business to thrive.…