KENYA Hoteliers, traders jostle for piece of KSh6bn rally windfall Palatial homeowners with spacious grounds in Naivasha are hurriedly setting up tents to cash in on the windfall from the World Rally Championship. With lodging spaces having been problematic during last year’s event, ingenuity is

KENYA Grain stuck at Tanzania border due to new import requirement Tanzania has imposed a new requirement on grain traders to get an export permit before shipping maize into the country, in a policy shift that has locked already bought stocks of grain by Kenyan

By Chris Flowers  The avocado fruit has, over the last decade and more, swept the world’s imagination and attention to iconic superfood levels. Like never before, the world has embraced avocado consumption, significantly increasing new plantings. However, environmental challenges lie as some of these new

KENYA Kenya FDI declines Kshs 31.5 billion amid rebound in the EAC Kenya’s foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows went against a regional recovery trend in 2021 after falling by $269 million (Kshs 31.47 billion), a United Nations survey showed on Thursday. The UN Conference on

KENYA New alcohol, SIM card taxes rock Parliament A Member of Parliament affiliated to Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza coalition on Thursday evening proposed higher taxation on beer and a new duty on imported SIM cards in changes to the Finance Bill 2022 that

KENYA KCB first quarter profit jumps to Sh9.9 billion KCB Group net earnings grew by more than half in the first quarter ended March, helped by higher interest and non-interest income and lower loan loss provisions. The lender’s net profit in the period stood at

KENYA Kenya’s debt repayments to China shoot to Sh73.5 billion Kenya’s debt repayments towards China-funded infrastructure projects have more than doubled to a record Sh73.48 billion this financial year on the back of increased clearance of principal sums after the grace period lapsed. Expenditure data

KENYA Manufacturers protest new KRA fuel, beer tax powers Manufacturers want the proposed powers to exempt excisable goods like fuel, beer and bottled water from annual price rises due to inflation to be taken away from Kenya Revenue Authority to the lawmakers, citing conflict of

KENYA  Economy grows fastest in 11 years on easing Covid curbs Kenya’s economy rebounded in 2021 to grow at the fastest pace in 11 years on easing of Covid-19 restrictions which boosted recovery in key sectors excluding agriculture whose activities were hit by poor rainfall.

KENYA Safaricom gets Sh46bn loan for Addis licence  Standard Chartered Bank Kenya was one of the major banks that lent Safaricom a total of $400 million (Sh46.3 billion) last year, helping the telecom operator pay for its Ethiopian licence. “The $400 million facilities comprised a

KENYA  Kenya delays talks on 15pc cut in power bills The State is yet to open talks for a review of power purchase agreements signed over the years by Kenya Power, signalling further delay of the promised electricity bill cut for homes and businesses by

KENYA Fuel prices to hit highest in Kenya’s history without subsidy Petrol prices will from midnight increase to the highest level in Kenya’s history unless the State subsidises the rising crude oil costs, which may further stoke public outrage over the high cost of living.

The 2022 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE) is the 37th version in an annual series that highlights significant foreign barriers to US exports, US foreign direct investment, and US electronic commerce. The NTE Report identifies significant barriers, regardless of whether they

KENYA  Taxpayers to deposit 50pc of disputed tax at CBK before suing KRA Firms and individuals fighting the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in courts over tax demands will have to deposit 50 percent of the disputed amount in a Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) account.

KENYA Monetary Policy Committee report indicates strong economic performance amid gnawing global pressure  The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on March 29, 2022, against a backdrop of a changed global outlook with heightened geopolitical tensions, volatile commodity prices, the Covid-19 pandemic and measures taken by

KENYA Fertiliser crisis looms on Sh5.7bn subsidy row MPs want President Uhuru Kenyatta to order the reinstatement of a Sh5.7 billion fertiliser subsidy that the Treasury has removed from the supplementary budget. The legislators have threatened to paralyse the passage of the Sh138 billion mini-budget

KENYA Banks abandon CBK’s SME mobile loans deal  Four lenders selected by the Central Bank of Kenya to give low-cost mobile loans to small businesses under a programme dubbed ‘Stawi’ have abandoned the deal. The Business Daily can reveal that the platform has not issued

KENYA KRA signals peace with Keroche in Sh22bn row The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has signalled concessions for Keroche Breweries after day-long negotiations with the owners of the embattled firm on Thursday over a disputed Sh22.79 billion tax bill. The taxman revealed that a deal

The proposed maximum East African Community Common External Tariff rate of 35% is set to boost intra-EAC trade by USD 18.9 million if adopted by the EAC partner states. This is according  to an  analysis done by the East Africa Community Secretariat on the proposed

KENYA Sanctions block Sh10bn Kenya exports to Russia Kenya’s exports of tea, flowers, coffee and fruits to Russia have been derailed in the wake of sanctions imposed on Moscow by Western nations after its invasion of Ukraine, hurting local smallholder farmers. The blockade of the

KENYA  State pushes to raise debt ceiling to Sh13 trillion in chaotic session Parliament has asked the Treasury to increase the debt ceiling to allow it to borrow Sh846 billion to plug the budget deficit in the next financial year. Majority Leader Amos Kimunya successfully

KENYA  Joint Statement of the Heads of Competition Authorities Dialogue on Regulation of Digital Markets The Heads of Competition Authorities of the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA); the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK); the Competition Commission of Mauritius (Competition Commission); The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection

KENYA CBK tests market with digital Kenya shilling The proposed Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) digital currency will for the first time allow Kenyans to directly keep cash at the apex bank, placing it in direct competition with commercial banks for deposits. The Kenyan version

KENYA  Firms slow down on hiring for first time in nine months Kenyan firms in January slashed expenditure on workers for the first time in nine months, citing a sharp fall in sales compared with December amid the Omicron threat. Findings of Stanbic Bank Kenya’s

KENYA Treasury to pay part of defaulted mobile phone loans The Treasury will guarantee mobile phone loans given to small traders in a bid to increase supply of credit under a scheme where the State will also pay part of the defaulted loans. Mobile phone-based

KENYA Banks risk Sh27bn as mortgage, matatu loan defaults jump 60pc Car and homeowners defaulted on loans totalling Sh27.8 billion in the 12 months to September last year, giving a peek into the nightmare that the two sectors have become for banks amidst the Covid-19

SUMMARY UK hosted the second Africa Investment Conference with focus on sustainable investment to support continent’s transition to clean growth Government launched Growth Gateway tool to strengthen UK and African business relationships, following record £2.3bn support from UK Export Finance   The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

President Uhuru Kenyatta has banned any exports or dealings in scrap metal. The Head of State cited increased vandalism of government infrastructure which he described as economic sabotage. He added that tough action would be taken against anyone found culpable of vandalism. This comes days

In an increasingly globalised world, consequential and integral to international trade is the flow of data. More than ever, for-profit organizations are expanding the scope of their operations across the globe to access new and larger markets or to capitalize on lenient tax regimes. Correspondingly,

KENYA Disquiet as State fails to pay oil subsidy billionsThe government has defaulted on fuel subsidy billions that continue to be paid under a cloud of secrecy, sparking disquiet among the oil marketing companies ahead of the fresh pricing review to be effected from midnight.

KENYA Bond transactions rise to record Sh956 billion The flight to fixed-income investments in the Covid-19 pandemic period swelled transactions in bonds at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) to a record Sh956 billion last year, nearly seven times the value of equities traded on the

KENYA  Oil companies to get Sh8bn for unchanged fuel prices The State will pay oil marketers an estimated Sh8.12 billion ($71.8m) for keeping fuel prices unchanged in the monthly review that will lapse on January 15. Compensation for diesel will be highest at Sh4.82 billion

As 2021 draws to a climax, numerous developments on both the national and international sphere will have spillover effects into the new year.  Below is a summary of 2022’s highly anticipated and potential socio-economic, political and legal impacts:  Additional Lockdowns and Curfews Following the latest

KENYA Kenya paid China Sh29bn to ease debt repayment standoff Kenya wired Sh29.86 billion ($264.4 million) to China in the quarter to September 2021 to ease a standoff over debt repayments that delayed disbursements to projects funded by Chinese loans. Treasury documents reveal that Kenya

KENYA Shilling hits all-time low of 112.5 to dollar The shilling has declined to a new all-time low of 112.5 against the dollar as importers increase demand for the greenback with the economy recovering from the impact of the pandemic. Reuters quoted the shilling at

KENYA Shilling weakens further on rising dollar demand  The shilling ceded further ground to the dollar Wednesday, November 24, trading at a new low of 112.38 units amid the end of month demand for dollars from importers even as supply remained low. It has shed

KENYA CBK Takes Baby Steps Towards Launch of Digital Currency (Source: Business today) Kenya is exploring the possibility of developing and launching a central bank digital currency (CBDC) to settle cross-border payments, as it seeks to advance the shift to a cashless economy and secure transactions.

KENYA Kenya’s economy rebounds 10.1%, first double-digit growth in 4 decades (Source: Business Daily) Kenya’s economy expanded 10.1 percent in the second quarter of the year on the back of a rebound in economic activity compared with a similar period last year when tough Covid-19

KENYA Equity Bank signals plan to buy stake in local rival (Source: Business Daily) Equity Group is ready to acquire a local rival if acquisition targets emerge, marking a shift to its previous strategy of seeking organic growth. Equity Group chief executive James Mwangi said

KENYA Kenya slides in credit default rules enforcement survey (Source: Business Daily) Kenya’s failure to enforce rules to reduce credit default risks locking out local and foreign investors in the financial market and reduce the country’s attractiveness for investment, a report has shown. The Absa

KENYA Auditor queries CBK law breach over board members (Source: Business Daily) Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu has once again raised concerns over Central Bank of Kenya’s (CBK) legal breach operating with seven instead of 11 directors and the absence of a second deputy governor. Ms Gathungu

KENYA Economy on path to recovery as banks record 53pc profit increase (Source: Business Daily) Pre-tax profits for banks in the seven months from January to July jumped 53.2 percent and surpassed last year’s full-year earnings, pointing to continued recovery from the Covid-19 downturn with

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

KENYA Controller of Budget Releases Implementation Report for June 2020 – June 2021 (Source: Office of the Controller of Budget) As required by the Constitution of Kenya and the Controller of Budget Act, the Office of the Controller of Budget made public the budget implementation

ETHIOPIA Ethiopia Attracts $3.9 billion FDI in 2020/21 Fiscal Year Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow into Ethiopia reached 3.9 billion US dollars in the recently concluded 2020/21 fiscal year, says the country’s investment commission. The amount, recorded in the FY which ended on July 7,

KENYA State to take all public tenders to online platform Kenya has started the search for an online platform that will process all public tenders and linked to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in a policy shift aimed at enhancing transparency and nabbing tax cheats.

KENYA Ethiopia clears hurdle for M-Pesa expansion Ethiopian authorities told Business Daily on Thursday that the Safaricom licence will be upgraded to include mobile financial service. A consortium led by Safaricom secured the first licence, which does not have a permit for mobile financial services

KENYA  THE FISCAL BUDGET FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2022/2023 In pursuit of openness and accountability in financial matters as spelt out in Article 201 of the Constitution, the National Treasury has invited Government Departments and Agencies, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and individuals to submit

KENYA StanChart slashes interest rate on fresh mortgages Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya  has cut the interest rate on new mortgages and waived legal and valuation fees for customers moving existing facilities from other banks in the latest bid to grow home loans. Borrowers who

KENYA Treasury exceeds July bond uptake target by Sh20bn The Treasury took up an extra Sh19.9 billion above the target of Sh60 billion in the first bond sale of the new fiscal year, taking advantage of high investor appetite for the offer that was sold

KENYA CMA blames courts for Cytonn funds debacle The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has blamed the courts for issuing orders baring the regulator from pursuing Cytonn Group for defaulted investments in Sh13.5 billion funds. The CMA told Parliament that its hands are tied, following a

KENYA Safaricom’s Kenya staff to help set up Ethiopia unit Safaricom will second its staff to run Ethiopia operations for products and network development that will help it gain market share that is in the hands of state-owned Ethio Telecom. The telco, which alongside other

KENYA CMA cautions investors against investing in unregulated products offered or promoted by unlicensed firms or unapproved entities The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has cautioned investors against investing through unlicensed and unapproved entities. Following numerous enquiries regarding the licensing status of the Cytonn Investment Group,

KENYA Shifting of Internet cable from Sh160bn highway path starts The government has been forced to relocate a crucial fibre optic cable to avoid internet outages when work on the Sh160 billion toll highway from Nairobi to Mau Summit begins in September. The ICT ministry

KENYA Digital lenders call for laws that will spur sector growth Digital lenders have asked legislators and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to enact non-restrictive laws that will spur the growth of the sector. This comes in the wake of the Central Bank of

KENYA Justice Martha Koome sworn in as Kenya’s first female Chief Justice Justice Martha Koome made history on Friday, 21st May, 2021 when she was sworn in as Kenya’s first female Chief Justice at State House, two days after the National Assembly approved her nomination

KENYA Public debt relief helps cut Kenya payments by Sh78bn Kenya projects savings of up to Sh78.17 billion after it signed debt repayment moratoriums with several rich countries, lifting pressure on its thinned domestic revenue collection. The National Treasury estimates that deferred repayments for loan

KENYA NSE hits 34-month high on Safaricom, banks The value of investor wealth on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) hit a 34-month high of Sh2.62 trillion Thursday, lifted by a rally of the share prices of Safaricom , East African Breweries (EABL) and banks. The

KENYA Ajua acquires rival in drive for Africa small enterprises Kenya-based customer experience intermediary Ajua has acquired WayaWaya, a local artificial intelligence and machine learning firm. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Ajua, which assesses customer feedback, said in a statement the

KENYA Foreign investors pull Sh2 billion from NSE Foreign investors have withdrawn Sh1.98 billion from the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) since January, with more than half of the takeaways coming in this month alone, highlighting the impact of profit-taking and fresh Covid-19 control measures announced

KENYA A majority of company chief executives in Kenya believe the high cost of doing business and taxation posed the biggest threat to their operations over the next 12 months. The survey found that although most business leaders projected a substantial economic rebound in the

KENYA Call for Comments: Draft National Insurance Policy The National Treasury is in the process of developing a National Insurance Policy which aims at strengthening the policy, legal and regulatory environment for the insurance sector in Kenya. The ultimate goal is to increase insurance penetration

KENYA Resumption of charges for transactions through Bank Specific (In House) Mobile Money Wallets The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) today announced the resumption of charges for transactions above Ksh.100 effected through bank specific (in-house) mobile money wallets that are closely linked to the Savings

ETHIOPIA Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen told Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia Sami Jamil Abdullahi that Ethiopia is keen to resume the negotiation under the leadership of the new chairperson of AU President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the

KENYA Payment of external debt nearly doubles in 6 months to Dec Repayment of principal sums owed to external lenders for six months through December 2020 nearly doubled in the lead-up to Treasury’s U-turn in taking debt relief offer and the push to create a

KENYA City Hall seeks new terms for Sh4.5 billion KCB loan City Hall has revealed plans to restructure a Sh4.45 billion KCB Group loan in a bid to end a legal showdown with the lender and avoid property auction. The county said that it will

KENYA Tech firm to set up regional data hub in Nairobi Kenya’s data centre market has a new suitor after Europe-based IXAfrica launched plans to build its ‘Africa Campus’ in Nairobi. IXAfrica chairman Guy Willner said they had chosen Nairobi as their regional expansion Launchpad

The World Bank has named Senegalese national Makhtar Diop as the new managing director of its private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation effective March 1 2021. He becomes the first African to head the institution. Mr Diop, a former Minister of Economy and Finance in the West African country, is currently
serving as World Bank’s vice president for infrastructure, overseeing the lender’s work across energy, transport, and digital
development sectors.

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.

KENYA Safaricom biggest winner in Sh1.6bn network upgrade Giant telecommunications firm, Safaricom is among five firms that have been awarded a Sh1.57 billion deal to build base transceiver stations to boost network connectivity in 101 remote sub-locations across the country. The telcos will set up

KENYA Jambo Pay obtains licence to operate MVNO service Online payments company Jambo Pay, owned by Web Tribe, has obtained a licence to operate an MVNO service, and says that its initial services will include IoT services such as ‘smart communications networks which will enable

KENYA Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) retain the Central Bank Rate (CBR) at 7 %  The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on January 27, 2021and assessed the outcomes of its policy measures deployed since March 2020 to mitigate the adverse economic effects and financial disruptions from

KENYA Banks sucked into Sh24.5bn State stipends row The State Department for Social Protection has failed to account for Sh24.5billion stipends disbursed to the elderly, the disabled and orphans across the country, raising questions on whether the amount reached its intended beneficiaries. Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu

The World’s largest Free Trade Area is finally here with us covering a market of 1.27bn people with a combined GDP of 3.4 trillion US dollars. The region does enter the agreement with great momentum around trade: Exports have grown by nearly a factor of

KENYA Anne Mwenda sworn-in as Nairobi deputy governor Anne Mwenda was on Friday sworn-in as Nairobi County’s third deputy governor following a swift confirmation process by ward representatives earlier in the day. The county assembly accepted a report from the vetting committee approving Ms Mwenda’s

KENYA Expiry of Emergency Measures to Facilitate Mobile Money Transactions and the Introduction of Principles to Guide Pricing On December 17, 2020 the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) after consulting with Payment Service Providers (PSPs) announced the expiry of emergency measures  to facilitate mobile money

KENYA Treasury bonds trade falls as CBK mops up shilling The value of bonds traded in the secondary market at the Nairobi Securities Exchange fell by a fifth in November compared to October, as investors turned their sights to new government debt issues amid reduced

With the United Kingdom (UK) set to conclude its exit from the European Union (EU) at the end of December, 2020 it has decided to enter into a bilateral agreement with Kenya. On Tuesday 08th December, 2020, the two countries formally signed a trade agreement ending an

KENYA The return of Pre-COVID taxes on VAT and Income Tax  The Office of the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury and Planning has released a press statement today stating that the preCOVID tax rates on VAT and income tax are back from 1st January 2021. Corporate

KENYA KCB Group PLC and Atlas Mara Limited Sign Acquisition Deal for Rwanda, Tanzania Banking Businesses.The Proposed transaction will see KCB acquire Banque Populaire du Rwanda Plc (BPR) and African Banking Corporation Tanzania (BancABC). KCB Group Plc (KCB) and Atlas Mara (ATMA) have signed a

KENYA The Public Sector Hearings for FY 2021/22 and Medium -Term period The National Treasury and Planning has organized the Public Sector Hearings for FY 2021/22 and Medium-Term period on 25th – 27th November, 2020 at KICC Amphitheatre hall starting at 8:30 am. TIME SECTOR/PRESENTATIONDAY

KENYA Kenya set to shift to e-visa services in 2021 The Kenyan government on Tuesday, 3 November announced a shift to e-visa services effective 1 January 2021. The Department of Immigration Services said passengers from countries requiring a visa to enter Kenya are expected to

KENYA Petrol, electricity prices to rise on new levy plan Consumer prices of petroleum and electricity are set to climb if Parliament approves a new taxation formula aimed at boosting the finances of the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). The formula proposed by the Energy

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.

KENYA NBK gets relief in Sh500m debt tussle with Ecobank The National Bank of Kenya (NBK) has won a temporary reprieve after the Court of Appeal halted a demand for payment of over Sh500 million to Ecobank arising from a financing deal linked to the

Article 132 of the Constitution and House Standing Orders obligate the President to address a joint sitting of the Houses on matters that touch on national values.

the President chaired an extraordinary session of Cabinet where the Head of State received the Report on the State of National Security, Nationhood and Territorial Integrity. The Report covers a wide range of issues, including national cyber projects, geospatial surveys and airborne geophysical projects, the National Integrated Information Management System (NIIMS) Programme – Huduma Namba initiative, and the National Security Industrialization Project.

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

Although Kenya may not feature as one of the top ten importers for the US market, the textile and apparel industry has the potential to alleviate the unemployment crisis in the country

“the Cabinet considered the prescriptions and directives issued by the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) regarding the Preservation of Public Order and Security in the Conduct of Public Gatherings and Processions, Media Reporting and Responsible Conduct of Persons using Social Media.”

KENYA Suspension of the listing of negative credit information for borrowers expires The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) on April 14, 2020, announced a six-month suspension of the listing of negative credit information with credit reference bureaus (CRBs) for borrowers whose loans were performing previously

COMESA is the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. In 2018, they agreed to establish a Digital Free Trade Area (DFTA). The initiative that upon inception was expected to create a $17.2 billion-worth market for member states is an online platform for trade facilitation

The Ministry of Finance on Wednesday revealed that it will issue invitation for bid to international telecom companies to award two bidders that take over 40 percent stakes of Ethio Telecom in October 2020. This was said after the ministry held a consultative meeting with private, financial and IT sectors to get their feedback on the privatization process, particularly in the telecom sector during the past two years. The bid document for the two new licenses will allow the winners to build, own and operate telecommunications networks.

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

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.

EAST AFRICA The East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat and its partner states held a virtual roll out event to mark the technical completion and development of the Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS). RECDTS is designed as a mobile phone application and will

ETHIOPIA President Sahlework Zewde called on all Ethiopians to continue their support to successfully realize the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in the New Year.  China will continue providing support for Ethiopia’s development endeavors as per China’s Ambassador Tan Jian.  The ambassador, who attended the

AFRICA Akinwumi Adesina Re-elected as President of the AfDB Group Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (PhD) has been re-elected to serve a second five year term as President of the African Development Bank Group on Thursday, August 27, 2020 by the Board of Governors of the Bank.

ETHIOPIA Ethiopia Airlines and Ethiopian Chefs Association have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that enables them to work on catering service and food tourism development. Ministry of Finance disclosed that Ethiopia has finalized preparations to commence the first phase of public-private partnership program by launching

KENYA Safaricom’s dollar demand tanks shilling to record low The shilling has weakened to a record low of 108.45 units against the dollar, erasing gains made last week, with traders linking this on demand for the US currency from Safaricom ahead of Sh56.09 billion dividends