Author: Korir Issa

Taifa Gas, which Tanzanian business magnate Rostam Aziz owns, has received a licence from Kenya to establish a cooking gas plant and storage facilities at Mombasa port. The Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) supplier is expected to construct a 30,000-tonne Kenya facility at the Special Economic Zone in Dongo Kundu. Once completed, it will cut the cost of handling and evacuating cooking gas from the ships to the mainland, allowing dealers to transfer the cost relief to consumers. Currently, LPG prices in Kenya are high, with the 13-kilogramme container retailing at an average price of KSh3,266 in Nairobi, while the six-kilogramme…

Cultural and traditional beliefs continue to contribute significantly to the widespread practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Kenya. However, Kenya’s legislative ban on FGM has contributed to a decline of more than half from 1998. In a new survey, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has shown that the prevalence of FGM declined from 38 per cent in 1998 to 15 per cent in 2022. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) further shows that there has been a steady decline since 2014. The percentage of circumcised women who were cut and had flesh removed declined from 87 per…

June Chepkemei has been appointed acting managing director of the Kenya Investment Authority (KENINVEST) with immediate effect. Chepkemei, who has been the head of Marketing and Communications at the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KOTDA) replaces Olivia Rachier Olivia has been serving in an acting capacity since November 9, 2021, following the departure of Dr Moses Ikihara after eight years at the organisation. Chepkemei is expected to spearhead strategies to attract and grow investments in Kenya from the current Ksh 61.5 billion to over Ksh 1.2 trillion by the end of 2023. She is accredited for leading Team Kenya in a…

Traditional gender roles and power imbalances between men and women in Kenya continue to contribute significantly to the high rates of Gender-based Violence (GBV) within marriages. In a new survey, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has shown that 41 per cent of women who have been married are likely to have experienced violence since the age of 15, compared to 20 per cent who have never been married. While other factors, such as societal norms and cultural beliefs, are contributing factors, the statistics portray a society where power imbalance in marriages has created an environment where men feel…

Safaricom Ethiopia has launched a strategic partnership with various banks for mobile airtime top-ups to provide easy access for its customers. In the first phase of integration with partner banks, customers can now access the mobile airtime top-up service through USSD menus and Mobile Apps of Bank of Abyssinia, Awash Bank, and NIB International Bank. https://twitter.com/SafaricomET/status/1615215538153603074?s=20&t=BNPJzsc4b0qKkUvsU6C_pg “This service will enable our customers to stay connected on Safaricom Ethiopia’s network and go about their daily engagements seamlessly, be it keeping in touch with family and friends or business, using our 4G data, voice, and SMS services,” Anwar Soussa, CEO, Safaricom Ethiopia,…

High Court judge Mugure Thande issued interim orders Thursday suspending the reintroduction of a bank to M-PESA charges pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by Nairobi resident Mr Moses Wafula. In his petition, Mr Wafula says M-PESA Paybill Services are outsourced. It is described as a bipartite (two-party) business engagement. “If the Banks continue riding on this M-Pesa pay bill infrastructure and the courts ultimately find the M-Pesa pay bill platform to be in contravention of the constitution, the impact will be higher; more funds from the public would have been lost and it may be a lot more difficult…