The stage is set for the Third Reading of the Finance Bill, 2024, before the National Assembly next week. During this crucial session, members of parliament will meticulously deliberate on each clause of the Bill, shaping its form before forwarding it for presidential assent.
In a notice dated 11th June 2024, the Principal Judge of the High Court has notified the public of the long August recess which commences on 1st August and ends on 15th September (both days inclusive). During this period, duty Judges will be available to handle matters, and court registries will operate normally.
Kenya will officially submit Raila Odinga’s candidacy to the African Union (AU) on June 30, 2024. The country is finalising the application documents, including translating Odinga’s resume into six AU languages, for submission by the end of the month. Zimbabwe supports the candidacy, but Seychelles has proposed its candidate, making the race more difficult for Raila.
The AU Secretariat will prepare briefs, campaign materials, and a digital presence for Odinga, as well as organize a public debate six months before the election. An empirical campaign strategy has been developed to address opportunities, challenges, and risks, involving outreach to AU member state capitals, briefings of Kenya Missions abroad, and engagements with the Diplomatic Corps in Nairobi.
IEBC to oversee KTDA elections
The KTDA elections for directors of 54 small-holder tea factories, managed by the Kenya Tea Development Authority, will be held on June 28, 2024, with over 600,000 tea farmers expected to participate. This is the first time the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will oversee these elections, marking a significant milestone in tea reform. The voting will follow a “one grower, one vote” principle, replacing the previous system based on the number of shares owned. Elections will occur between 7 am and 3 pm across seven regions, and the IEBC will manage the process, appointing returning officers and counting clerks. The Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) will oversee the elections to ensure fairness, with security measures in place to maintain order.
Smithsonian’s ForestGEO international analytical gathering
The 2024 annual ForestGEO Analytical Workshop will be held in Nanyuki, Kenya, from June 29th to July 13th, co-hosted by the Mpala Research Centre, the National Museums of Kenya, and Karatina University. The workshop will focus on small-group research in demography, biomass/carbon stocks, spatial pattern analysis, phenology, seed/seedling ecology, and eco-evolutionary studies. This year, a group will also focus on tropical tree mortality as part of the NSF-funded AccelNet project.
The Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence (EARFAI)
The Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence (EARFAI) will be held in Nairobi from June 24th -26th, 2024. Organized by the Government of Kenya and UNESCO, the forum aims to explore AI’s potential for sustainable development and societal change in Eastern Africa and the adjacent Indian Ocean islands. EARFAI seeks to foster discourse on AI policy to support the development and adoption of globally agreed ethical practices.
Dr. Phillipa Mutua
COO, Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation
Dr. Phillipa Mutua is the new Chief Operating Officer at EMKF. She previously worked at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi as an Emergency Care Doctor and with Remote Medical Support Kenya as an Emergency Consultant.