Author: David Indeje

Google, the world’s most popular search engine, celebrated its 25th anniversary on Wednesday, September 27.  The company marked the occasion with a special doodle that transforms ‘Google’ into ‘G25gle’, symbolizing the 25 years.  Clicking on the logo triggers a confetti animation on the page. Happy 25th birthday @Google! 🎂 Thanks to everyone who uses our products and challenges us to keep innovating and to all Googlers! pic.twitter.com/bO3cI0DgvZ — Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) September 27, 2023 In a blog post, Google reflected on its journey over the past 25 years, stating, “Much has changed since 1998 — including our logo as seen…

A study conducted by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Miss Koch Kenya, and the Directorate of Children’s Services, Nairobi County, has revealed alarming statistics about adolescent pregnancies in Korogocho. A significant 77% of these pregnancies were unplanned, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive programs and policies to address the various factors contributing to early pregnancy. “The study illustrates the socioecological factors that predisposed girls to early and unintended pregnancy. Lack of correct contraceptive knowledge and access, poverty, peer pressure, family conflict and breakdown, and lack of family support and supervision were the main factors associated with early…

NCBA Group has announced its plans to acquire 100 per cent of AIG Kenya Insurance Company. This acquisition, if successful, will be a significant transaction, as AIG Kenya is a well-established insurance business with over 50 years of experience and a strong reputation for providing general insurance services to corporates, SMEs, and individuals. NCBA was formed from a merger between NIC Group and CBA Group in 2019 and has grown rapidly over the past four years. It is now the third-largest banking group in East Africa, serving over 63 million customers through a network of 107 branches. John Gachora, NCBA…

Kenya’s forex reserves have dropped as the National Treasury disburses billions of shillings to service growing external debts. This could potentially weaken the shilling’s value in the coming months, making debt repayment more expensive. As of last week, forex reserves had decreased by $112 million to $6.955 billion. The current reserve is equivalent to just 3.76 months of import cover, falling short of the statutory requirement of at least four months of cover. The International Monetary Fund, which disbursed $415.4 million to Kenya in July, expects Kenya’s official foreign exchange reserves to remain under pressure. This situation raises concerns about…

The Lancet Series on small, vulnerable newborns has issued a call for the standardisation of data, technology, and quality prenatal information to address the high rate of newborns born too small or too soon. This rate currently stands at its highest at 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, one in every four babies is either ‘born too small’ or ‘born too soon’, accounting for 1.9 million stillbirths and 1.4 million newborn deaths annually. Survivors among these small, vulnerable newborns are susceptible to health problems throughout their lives, affecting human capital, economic productivity, and healthcare costs. The Series, created through an international…

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has launched a tax amnesty programme as part of the Finance Act, 2023.  This significant initiative aims to promote tax compliance and financial inclusion by offering a waiver on interest and penalties on tax debt up to 31st December 2022. The programme, which will be in effect from 1st September 2023 to 30 June 2024, is designed to help taxpayers achieve tax compliance.  It allows them to voluntarily declare their historical tax liabilities. Once declared, taxpayers can settle the principal tax amount while benefiting from not having to pay the associated penalties and interest. This…