Kenya

SRC raises President Ruto’s CASs pay to Sh780,000 in new review

The new chief administrative secretaries (CASs) will be earning more than principal secretaries after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) raised their monthly pay to Sh780,000, putting them in the league of Kenya’s top six best-paid officials in the public service. A new SRC advisory to the Public Service Commission (PSC) shows that a CAS’ monthly pay will rise from Sh765,188 following a job evaluation that put the position in a higher job grade. “SRC has determined the monetary worth of the job of CAS at grade F1 and would like to advise on the attendant remuneration and benefits structure,” said SRC chairperson Lyn Mengich in a March 14, 2023 letter to her PSC counterpart, Anthony Muchiri.

(Business Daily)

Tanzania

TAZARA to re-engage Chinese investors to revitalize operations

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) plans to engage Chinese investors to revitalize operations of the railway line that is underperforming due to insufficient capitalization.

TAZARA Council of Ministers, comprising the Ministers responsible for Transport, Finance and Industry in Tanzania and Zambia which met in Lusaka, Zambia recently, directed the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) to complete the process of engaging the Chinese investors, who have expressed interest in reviving TAZARA.

(Daily News)

Uganda

Share of Uganda’s debt from commercial banks growing

Multilateral lenders remain Uganda’s largest source of credit according to data from Status of Uganda’s Debt report. However, the share of debt sourced from multilateral lenders, the report shows, has been reducing while other sources such as China and commercial banks have increased their share. 

During the period ended June 2022, data from the Ministry of Finance shows the share of multilateral credit stood at 61.7 percent, which was an 8.9 percent reduction in the seven years from June 2016 when it was 70.6 percent.

(The Monitor)

Rwanda

Govt launches new program to connect all schools to internet by 2024

The Government of Rwanda on Wednesday, March 22 launched the “School Connectivity Program”, aimed at connecting all primary and secondary schools in the country to high-speed internet by the end of 2024. This program will start with a pilot phase connecting 500 schools through Starlink, a satellite broadband service run by Elon Musk’s private space company, SpaceX, based in Hawthorne, California, USA.

(The New Times)

Ethiopia

Ethiopia, South Africa ink agreement to work on tourism

The agreement was discussed by the technical teams of the two countries. The countries will work cooperatively on information exchange, promotion, travel and marketing facilitation, development and capacity building of tourism for mutual benefit. A technical team of the two countries have discussed about the signed MoU and will follow up the implementation.

(ENA)

Eritrea

Solar system installation protocol agreement signed

The Ministry of Finance and National Development signed a protocol agreement today, 23 March, with the African Development Bank to implement the Dekemhare 30 MW Solar Photo Voltaic project worth about 50 million Dollars.

At the signing ceremony carried out at the Ministry of Finance and National Development office, Dr. Giorgis Teklemicael, Minister of Finance and National Development, and Dr. Abdul Kamara, Deputy Director of the African Development Bank signed the protocol agreement.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Giorgis said that the energy project is an important step towards realizing Eritrea’s plan to increase access to electricity and enhance socio-economic development of all Eritreans.

(Shabait)

Sudan

Prices up, buying power down, as Sudan shoppers gear for Ramadan

As the Sudanese public prepare for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, while the current official inflation rate has fallen to 63.3 per cent compared to 83.6 per cent in January, market prices for consumer goods are ‘stable’ at best, while some staples are rising due to demand, and travel fares are especially impacted by the knock-on effect of the high cost of fuel.

Sudan’s Central Bureau of Statistics announced on Sunday, that the current annual inflation rate in the country is recorded at 63.3 per cent, compared to 83.60 per cent in January. Year-on-year, in March 2022, the Central Bureau of Statistics quoted that the annual inflation rate in the country fell to 258.40% in February from 259.8% in January.

(Dabanga Sudan)

Somalia

CEO of SFD receives delegation from Federal Republic of Somalia

The CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad received here today, Yusuf Hussein Jimale, the Governor of Benadir Regional Administration and Mayor of Mogadishu Municipality of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and his accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed a number of topics related to SFD-funded projects in Somalia as well as ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in realizing the United Nations Development Goals.

(Radio Dalsan)