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The African Business Council has taken a bold step in pursuit of economic growth and empowering local businesses. The council is championing a game-changing initiative that calls for 40% of all government procurements across the 55 African countries to be allocated to the African private

Analyzing the Pros and Cons of Exchange Rate Fluctuation

In a recent visit to Kenya, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva held discussions with President Ruto and members of the Cabinet on possible policy recommendations concerning Kenya’s recovery from the exogenous economic shocks the country is experiencing. In a bid to address economic growth and

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The Finance Bill, 2023 which has got many tongues wagging across the country was tabled before the National Assembly on Thursday, May 4, 2023, by the National Treasury. The Bill proposes an array of tax changes geared towards expanding the tax base and raising revenue

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Telcos in Kenya have adopted Internet of Things (IoT) technology through a variety of projects. Airtel has launched the ‘Always On’ solution to allow devices anywhere to stay connected after launching their eSIM, which has proven particularly useful in the transport sector for tracking cars. 

HR laud new NSSF rates for bid to entrench saving culture among Kenyans

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Courts and legal sanctions on corporate environmentalism and greenwashing: Why corporates need to be alert!

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President Ruto clips CS Mutua wings in foreign policy shift

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The Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations submitted the report on the Supplementary Estimates for FY 2022/2023. In the supplementary budget, requests for reallocations and additional allocations as well as expenses covered under Article 223 of the Constitution are submitted for approval by the Parliament.

Dynamics of the booming ‘mitumba’ industry and possible lessons for corporates

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24th February 2023 Finger on the Pulse

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Inside Kenya’s Public Debt Dynamics and the Medium Term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS), 2023

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Globetrotting CS: Eyebrows raised after Moses Kuria meets 10 presidents in a month

Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria has met 10 sitting presidents and a former president in an interval of one month, igniting speculations of clashing roles with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under CS Alfred Mutua. Even though Mr. Kuria on Monday

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Supplementary Budget 2022/2023: An Analysis

Recently, the National Assembly called for memoranda on the Supplementary budget 2022/2023 tabled before the House for approval. This budget was much awaited as President Ruto has promised to cut down government expenditure by KShs. 300 billion and work towards fiscal consolidation. Ideally, supplementary budgets

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Price subsidies are not long-term solutions to social protection. The Kenya Kwanza administration has been eliminating most of the subsidies that were introduced by former President Kenyatta’s administration such as electricity, fuel and maize price subsidies. President William Ruto’s administration’s rapid elimination of the price

10th February 2023 Trade and Financial Services Round Up

Kenya KRA set to tax hedging profits under new rules Kenyans engaging in transactions with foreigners to cushion them from volatility in financial markets will now be required to account for any profit realised by non-resident parties and remit tax on the same to the

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3rd February Trade and Financial Services Round Up

Kenya EPRA reveals second plan to increase cost of power The Water Resources and Management Authority (WARMA) is the latest State entity to seek a bigger pie of the electricity bills in what looks set to further increase the cost of power. WARMA has applied

Explainer: What you need to know about Kenya’s Privatisation

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27th January 2023 Trade and Financial Services Round Up

Kenya Banks’ Sh224bn record profits signal bonus, dividends boom Banks’ pre-tax profits for 11 months to November last year hit a record Sh223.7 billion on increased lending, setting the stage for a dividend windfall for owners when full-year results are announced in March. Central Bank

New appointment at Safaricom board

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In the last few years, the global economy has been trying to cope with multiple shocks and economic uncertainties. This has been elicited by the Covid-19 pandemic, political instability, climate change induced shocks and international conflicts. These effects may not end soon and have provided

New leadership team at Kenya Revenue Authority KRA Board of Directors

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13th January Trade and Financial Services Round Up

Kenya State bursts recurrent budget forecast by Sh81.7bn President William Ruto’s administration projects expenditure for the day-to-day running of the government is Sh81.7 billion more than what the previous regime budgeted, pointing to piling spending pressures, including salaries and wages. The Treasury has forecast recurrent

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16th December 2022 County Round Up

LAMU The Governor has appointed various persons for the position of the County Executive Committee Member. KAKAMEGA The Governor has appointed various persons to be members of the County Executive Committee of the County Government of Kakamega with effect from December 7, 2022.   The

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2023 Economic Look Out

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Enter Fractional Share Ownership in Kenya: What you need to know about fractional investing

Fractional shareholding allows a person to purchase a piece, or a fraction of a share.  For example, if one share costs KSh 500, a person could buy a proportion of that say for KSh 250 while another person buys the remainder for KSh 250. Each

30th September 2022 Trade and Financial Services Round Up

Kenya CBK raises key lending rate to 8.25pc to curb runaway inflation The Central Bank Monetary Policy Committee has raised the base lending rate from to 7.5 per cent to 8.25 per cent, citing elevated pressure from inflation. The modest increase by 75 basis points

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Cost of fuel and food will steadily take centre stage in the campaigns this season

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The camps of both leading presidential candidates put aside their rivalry this week to push a pliable electoral commission to extend the deadline for the submission of their running mates by 20 days.  While the names of the candidates and their mates were originally scheduled

Kenyans dig deeper into their pockets after fuel and LPG prices go up even as regulator seeks to control gas prices 

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Kenya’s key economic strategies in 2022 Budget Policy Statement to spur recovery

Kenya’s economy has been on a path to recovery in 2021 following the slump in 2021 occasioned by the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is against this recovery background that Kenya’s 2022 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) is based upon.  Kenya’s economy rebounded strongly

Kenya – Somalia Maritime Dispute : Traders and economic relations left hanging in the balance

This week, the International Court of Justice( ICJ)  ruled on the maritime dispute between Kenya and Somalia . The bone of contention was in which direction each of the country’s borders extends into the Indian Ocean. Somalia said the boundary should run in the same

A new frontier: A case for legalizing marijuana in Kenya

The evolution of African policy and interests in legal cannabis production continues to gain traction. In October 2020, the Rwandan Cabinet approved regulatory guidelines for the production and processing of medicinal cannabis for export. Including Rwanda there are now ten countries in the region clearly

A year of resetting what is normal: 12 months post COVID

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BPS and Trade sector – General Economic and Commercial Affairs(GECA)

In the MTEF period 2017/18-2019/20, the total approved budget for the sector’s programmes and sub programmes was 78.9 Billion Ksh, while the actual expenditure was 66.47 Billion Ksh.
This represented 84.6% absorption level.

Part 2 on the BUDGET SERIES: Which way forward for Kenya’s economy? Highlights of Kenya’s economic outlook and proposed recommendations

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National Treasury request for comments on the Draft 2021 Budget Policy Statement for the MTEF FY 2021/22-2023/24 Budget

The National Treasury has finalized the Draft 2021 Budget Policy Statement for the MTEF FY 2021/22 -2023/24 budget which is available at the National Treasury website www.treasury.go.ke. and it invites comments on it.

Government set to roll back COVID tax relief measures in January 2021

Per statistics by the World Bank, Kenya is set for a relatively short setback from COVID-19 with a s 4 percentage-point dip in growth this year, and 5.2 percent growth returning in 2021. This is still a permanent loss of 5 percent of GDP over

CS National Treasury remarks at MTEF hearings

In his key note at the opening of the opening of the public Hearings on the FY 2021/22 and the medium-term Budget proposals at the Kenyatta International Convention Center on 25th November 2020, CS Ukur Yatani addressed the public on various elements of financial planning

Private Sector engagement in the budget making process

The Kenya budget cycle is well on its way and is in fact half way through with the National Treasury and Planning having just concluded the public hearings for FY 2021/22 and Medium-Term budget proposals. The budget is the most important policy through which the

Highlights of the first quarterly economic and budgetary review report in the 2020/21 FY

10.7%
Growth in broad money supply, M3, improved to 10.7
percent in the year to September 2020 compared to a
growth of 6.5 percent in the year to September 2019.

COVID-19: Global trade value chains, taxation, and recovery

Ideally, removing the non-tariff barriers that remain the biggest hindrance to continental trade can foster regional integration, which must play a key role in the crisis recovery strategies in Africa.

FTA Series – Part 5: Impact of US-KE FTA on agriculture

It’s impossible to overstate how much Congress cares about agriculture – US agriculture is very productive, and we now want to work out how to sell it.” – A Senior USTR Adviser, 2020

Treasury’s take: Impact of Covid-19 on Kenya’s Economy

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 has caused the most severe global economic setback. Its impact to our economy includes:
-Loss of lives
-Decline in demand of Kenya’s goods and services,
-Job losses,
-Decline in household earnings,
-Heavy public expenditures towards health sector and social
protection,
-Decline in revenue due to subdued economic activities.
Kenya’s GDP is projected to decline to 2.5 % in 2020 compared to a growth of 5.8 % in 2019.

FTA Series – Part 2: African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement

The AfCFTA offers a unique opportunity to develop an inclusive trade system and economic model by increasing intra-continental trade; but in order to trade, Africa first has to produce; and not just primary commodities. However, the AfCFTA will only promote intra-African trade if governments actually implement it

FTA Series – Part 1: What you need to know

A population estimated at 1.3 billion predominantly made up of young people and with an
abundance of natural resources, Africa presents market opportunities, a growing labour force
and raw materials for manufacturing.

In need of revival: The evening economy

As we walk the path to economic recovery, we need to work towards resuscitating the evening
economy while keeping safe.