KBC Channel 1

Author: Claire Wanja

  • KCATS seeks to streamline students’ progression

    KCATS seeks to streamline students’ progression

    The review Kenya Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (KCATS) that is being undertaken by experts appointed by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, is a crucial exercise that will ultimately yield a critical instrument that will guide learner progression.

    The policy will also facilitate access, mobility and seamless progression within, education, training and career paths; enhance transparency, efficiency, recognition and quality of education and training.

    The review happens at the backdrop of implementing recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms; specifically on the need to support progression and mobility of TVET graduates through credit transfer.

    The Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF) Act no. 22 of 2014 mandates Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) to develop policies and standards to guide the national qualifications system.

    This is aimed at enhancing skills development process; skills transferability, clarify progression pathways between and within levels of qualifications and across different sectors; thus enabling Lifelong learning.

    We are in a space where there is so much talk globally about validation and recognition of learning. The validation and recognition of learning remain useful tools in the process of establishing comparability of qualifications and formally acknowledging the validity of learning.

    Generally, three (3) modes are used to validate and recognise learning globally, namely; recognition of qualifications, credit accumulation and transfer systems and recognition of prior learning/ validation of acquired experience.

    Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (CATS) is therefore, one of the modes for validating and recognising learning through the recognition of credits. CAT is a form of recognition of prior learning( RPL) used to recognise and validate formal learning. Using the accumulated credits, the system allows mobility of learners from one programme to another within or across institutions without having to duplicate learning thereby facilitating lifelong learning and access to the workplace.

    While reviewing the KCATS policy that was launched in November 2021; it is important that we undertake a national and global situational analysis  -noting that we are at advanced stage of realizing and implementing the Africa Continental Qualifications Framework.

    The ACQF is designed to be a referencing qualifications framework for the African continent, to enhance transparency, comparability and quality of qualifications and mutual trust between national qualifications frameworks and systems, thereby promoting mobility of people for purposes of further studies and work.

    The Africa Continental Qualification framework ( ACQF)guideline on CATS, which though quite informative, does not impose on countries and regions new CATS rules and mechanisms, but proposes a framework of principles, criteria and processes that can inspire and orient the national and regional authorities and stakeholders in developing CATS or improving and consolidating already existing systems. In accordance with the approach of voluntary cooperation of the ACQF, the Guideline on CATS is a reference and acts as a recommendation.

    Computation of credits for purposes of validating and recognising learning shall comprise all the learning activities of the student, inclusive of contact time, private study, research, assignment writing and assessments.

    As such, we expect that education and training institutions should work out the number of credits that should be allocated to all learning activities. Depending on the national or institutional requirements or preferences, terms or semester systems may be used to accumulate course/module credit. Institutions that use terms have a system where students complete three sets of classes, as part of the academic year. While institutions that use semester units divide classes into two sets of classes, for the academic year.

    Regardless of the system used, study hours can be translated into the number of credits.

    It is interesting to note that the system that we are using as a country – which is already preempted by the KNQF (has described the number of notional hours per level and the corresponding credits) is similar to what a few other countries in the continent have – such as South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia and Botswana.

    1. a) System 1: Under this system, it is considered that an average student puts in a minimum of 1200 hours of work per year. Further, 10 study hours are equated to 1 credit. Consequently, a one-year programme or academic year has 1200 notional study hours which translates into 120 credits. In arriving at the 1200 notional study hours, it is considered that an average student accumulates 8 hours per day, which amounts to 40 hours per week (An academic year has 30 weeks, translating into the 1200 hours).
    2. b) System 2: Under this system, it is considered that the student workload of a full-time study programme amounts to around 1500-1800 hours per year and in those cases one credit stands for around 25 to 30 working hours. The system is based on the principle that 60 credits measure the workload of a full-time student during one academic year. Examples of countries in Africa that use this system include Algeria, Uganda and Tunisia. In order to convert credits from System 2 to System 1, 1 credit from System 2 should be equated to 2 credits in System 1.

    Key principles of CATS

    1. i) CATS should be formulated with a view to promoting learner mobility across sectors, levels and types of qualifications by eliminating duplication of learning;
    2. ii) Systems and procedures developed in institutions to support CAT should be transparent, fair, flexible and easy to use;

    iii) Decisions regarding credit transfer should be timely, academically defensible and equitable, and based on learning outcomes;

    1. iv) Credit awarded in recognition of prior non-formal and informal learning is of equal standing to credit awarded through formal learning;
    2. v) In line with the concept of institutional autonomy, CAT should not affect the authority of a receiving institution to make decisions about the admission of learners;
    3. vi) Credit recognition and credit transfer should not undermine the academic rigour or integrity of the qualification into which the learner is accepted ;(CUE, TVETA are here to ensure QA in their respective spaces)

    vii) Institutional commitment and cooperation is central to the optimal functionality of CATS; and

    viii) CATS and its procedures should be subject to rigorous quality assurance measures.

    Therefore, we have an opportunity to breath coherence and ensure non-wastage of knowledge by providing to this country a national CATS policy. That it as one of the key highlights of recommendations of PWPER, shows how enthusiastic we are as a country to have the document out for implementation.

    Dr. Alice Kande, is the Acting Director General of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA).

  • Coal, oil, and gas are fueling the cost-of-living crisis

    Coal, oil, and gas are fueling the cost-of-living crisis

    Coal, oil, and gas are fueling the cost-of-living crisis.  The COP28 Climate Conference can see a climate action surge.

    Over the last couple of years inflation has caused a cost-of-living crisis across large parts of the world. Some fear mongeres have used the hardship this has caused billions of people to propagate rhetoric that climate change action is unaffordable and running against the interests of ordinary people. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

    Propagating a Green vs. Poor narrative is divisive, and it is often used to mask short-term, profit-driven self-interest. The only stable, economically sustainable future is one of energy security, resilience to disasters, well-funded coordinated recovery from them, and ultimately a cap on temperature rise at 1.5 degrees centigrade.

    Fossil fuels,including coal, oil, and gas are a major driver of the cost-of-living crisis, which is stretching billions of household budgets to breaking point.

    Prices have swung wildly, as they frequently do, driven higher by uncertainty and conflict. In turn,this pushes up the costs of transport, food, electricity, and basic household necessities.In some heavily fossil fuel-dependent countries, household bills rose as much as US$1000 in 2022 due to fossil fuel energy costs.

    Consumer costs will rise even further and economic growth will slow as climate impacts become more intense, according to economic authorities, such as the United States Treasury, the Reserve Bank of India and the European Central Bank.

    High energy prices also shrink profit margins for businesses and hurt economic growth. High energy prices also shrink profit margins for businesses,hurt economic growth, and impede the right to energy access across the world. Inflation hurts the poorest households the most.

    This comes as climate disasters are also getting worse in every country. This year will likely be the hottest for 125,000 years. More destructive storms, unpredictable rains and floods, heatwaves, and droughts are already causing massive economic damage and affecting hundreds of millions of people across the world, costing them their lives and livelihoods.

    The fossil fuel taps can’t be turned off overnight but there are a lot of opportunities for action not currently being taken. For example, in 2022, governments spent over $7 trillion in taxpayers’ money or borrowings on fossil fuel subsidies.

    Subsidies fail to protect the real incomes of the poorest households and divert money that are increasing developing country debt burdens, or could have been used to improve health care, build infrastructure – including renewable energy and grids – and expand social programs to alleviate poverty. Done responsibly, a phase-out of such subsidies would actually help the poorest and improve the economies of the countries now dependent on them.

    This year, at UN Climate Change, we conducted a Global Stock take on climate action up to now. It has indicated clearly that progress is too slow. But it also revealed that there are many tools we have to speed up climate action now, which will simultaneously build stronger economies. We have the knowledge and tools to accelerate this transition while ensuring it is fair and just, leaves no one behind.

    Billions of people need their governments to pick up this toolbox and put it to work. That includes switching billions of dollars from investments in new fossil fuel production to renewable energy that will provide stable, reliable and lower-priced energy to propel economic growth. This is about both demand and supply. Those of us that demand energy to turn our lights on need to be provided with clean options to do it, and the fiscal space to invest in our communities and their ability to adapt to the changing world.

    There is cause for optimism, if governments come to this year’s climate change conference-COP28- in Dubai with a spirit of cooperation and alaser-focus on solutions. At COP28 we can agree on tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity. We can double energy efficiency. We can show we are doubling finance to help countries adapt to climate impacts and center it in national planning. We can make the climate loss and damage fund a reality that helps deliver climate justice. And we can deliver old promises on financing the transition, and outline how we are going to fund the next steps.

    One moment, one meeting, won’t change everything. But we can capture the future in the directions that we set this year, and provide the plan for how national commitments can deliver in 2025.

    I refuse to let fearmongering pull a hood over my eyes, and you shouldn’t either.

    By UN Climate Change Executive-Secretary, Simon Stiell

  • Kakuzi scores five nominations in Avocado Industry Excellence Awards

    Kakuzi scores five nominations in Avocado Industry Excellence Awards

    Listed superfoods producer Kakuzi Plc has been shortlisted for this year’s Kenya Avocado Industry Excellence Awards 2023.

    The Avocado Society of Kenya is organizing the fourth edition of the Kenya Avocado Industry Excellence Awards 2023 to celebrate individuals and corporations with outstanding contributions to the Kenyan avocado industry.

    In the just released nominations roll of honour ahead of the Kenya Avocado Industry Excellence Awards 2023, to be held on 1st December this year, Kakuzi has once again secured several nominations alongside leading local firms and individuals who are actively working to position Kenya as the leading avocado producing country in Africa.

    This year, Kakuzi has scored nominations in the Avocado Person of the Year 2023, Large Scale Orchards > 200 Acres, Large Scale Exporter > 200 Containers, Growers Nursery- Seedlings and Auxiliary Services Categories.

    Speaking when he acknowledged the nominations, Kakuzi Plc Managing Director Mr Chris Flowers, who picked the Avocado Person of the Year award last year, said the recognition will help foster further professional growth of the fledgling agricultural business sub-sector.

    Such reward schemes, he said, are a necessary ingredient to celebrate value chain players who are working to guarantee the quality, integrity and sustain ability of locally produced avocados. Other firms nominated in the awards include listed banking solutions provider NCBA Bank Kenya, CFAO Motors Kenya, Murang’a County Government, Kenya Airways Cargo, KEPHIS, and MAERSK Kenya, among others, reflecting the avocado value chain diversity.

    While paying tribute to Kakuzi stakeholders for their continued commitment to excellence, he added that the firm will also sustain focus on its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and climate action/sustainability initiatives.

    “We are honoured and excited by the nominations alongside our industry peers. We continue to encourage and participate in such industry initiatives as part of our corporate commitment to grow the local avocado production and export opportunity,” Flowers said.

    He added, “Kenya is currently ranked fifth in the global production and export rankings of quality avocado. We must continue to work hard to secure this coveted market position locally and internationally through quality-assured production and commitment to sustainability through ESG frameworks.”

    Kakuzi’s avocado sales have recently accelerated, with exports to Europe and China peaking. Further avocado business growth is expected in the harvest season next year as exports to Malaysia and India begin to dispatch.

    This year, Mr Flowers disclosed that Kakuzi had planted 13,542 seedlings during the current short rain season as part of its Avocado orchard expansion strategy.

    In its half-year trading results released last August, the firm, which recently adopted a new corporate brand identity, enjoyed a more than double profit lift against its avocado export business, which posted a Kshs 654.8 million growth, up from Kshs 288.6 million posted last year.

     

  • Use evidence to improve healthcare services, county govts urged

    Use evidence to improve healthcare services, county govts urged

    Poor research uptake that is characterized by low demand for evidence in policy formulation and implementation, continues to hamper the quality of healthcare service in county governments.

    Speaking while opening the second Kilifi County Scientific Symposium 2023, Dr Rose Oronje, Director-Public Policy and Knowledge Translation and Head of the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) Kenya Office, said there are inadequate linkages between national research institutions and county governments.

    “The result has been poorly designed services rendered to citizens derived from policies that are not well-informed by evidence,” she said.

    She added that Evidence-Informed Decision-Making (EIDM) helps planners to identify priorities, design effective interventions, determine resource allocations and monitor and improve implementation or performance.

    However, she challenged the counties to continuously engage with the national government, who is the custodian of the existing evidence generation structures, in order to benefit from the numerous research resources that exist in the country.

    “This means that county governments must cultivate and nurture good relations with the national research institutions to ease their access to the available evidence needed for formulation of policies responsive to the needs of citizens they serve,” she advised.

    Dr Oronje noted that as a country, Kenya has demonstrated her commitment to evidence-based health care, a fact that has seen the country develop robust research and institutional structures, policy and legal frameworks, which, when put to good use, could revolutionise healthcare services in each of her 47 counties.

    The second Kilifi County Scientific Symposium seeks to promote the transformation of research findings into actionable strategies for achieving quality health care in Kilifi County.

    Research institutions actively generating and providing evidence that have for years guided the country’s health policies include the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and its associated centres, Universities, Health Management and Information Systems, among others.

    To support work by these institutions, the government has strived to put in place the right legal frameworks.

    For example, only last month, the government launched the Universal Health Coverage Act to bolster other existing laws such as the Health Act of 2017, Health Strategy 2014-2030, Health Strategic Plans and Research-for-Health Policy Framework.

    “However, appropriate laws and the existence of evidence would not help much if the counties do not invest in evidence systems, and enhance the technical capacity of their staff to harness available evidence,” she said.

    These measures, she said, require political goodwill from the top leadership, a change of values that cherishes evidence in decision-making practices and a change of cultural values and behaviours. “There has to be deliberate effort for accountability and transparency,” she said.

    The second Kilifi County Scientific Symposium seeks to promote the transformation of research findings into actionable strategies for achieving quality health care in Kilifi County.

    The symposium brings together healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and community members to discuss evidence-based innovative approaches that will bridge the gap between research and implementation.

  • Kenya’s Globetrack International wins two AMEC awards

    Kenya’s Globetrack International wins two AMEC awards

    A local specialist media monitoring and analysis solutions provider, Globetrack International has floored several global media monitoring giants to win two awards in this year’s International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication(AMEC) awards.

    The 2023 AMEC Global Communication Effectiveness Awards winners were revealed on Friday evening during a Gala Dinner Ceremony held at the Church House, Westminster, London.

    Globetrack International, a boutique media monitoring firm, was the only Sub-Saharan Africa media measurement solutions provider shortlisted earlier for the 2023 AMEC Global Communication Effectiveness Awards.

    The firm won a Gold award in a joint entry with the Kenya Human Rights Commission(KHRC) in the Best Use of Measurement for a single event entry that featured Kenya’s2022 General Elections media analysis.

    In a joint entry with the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI), the firm also picked a Silver Award in the Most Impactful Client recommendations category based on a measurement study for its Simplifying Insurance entry.

    Anelated Globetrack International Managing Director Esther Kagiri said the awards are a befitting tribute to local media measurement professionals and integrated marketing communications professionals who maintain world-class standards.

    “At Globetrack, we are thrilled that we are now ranked among the world’s best media measurement and evaluation firms, which is a testament to the world-class standards we maintain in delivering media and communication intelligence for discerning clients,” Ms Kagiri said. She added, “The Gold and Silver awards area true honour and tribute to our clients, especially the Kenya Human Rights Commission and AKI, alongside our dedicated team of youthful media measurement professionals who utilise our proprietary media monitoring tools to deliver cutting-edge solutions to our clients.”

    The AMEC Awards is a global awards programme for communication measurement excellence. Now in its 21st year, the Awards aims to recognise and celebrate exceptional work and showcase the importance of research, measurement, insights and analytics.

    The International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication(AMEC) organises the AMEC Global Communication Effectiveness Awards.

    AMEC is the world’s largest media intelligence and insights professional body, representing organisations and practitioners who provide media evaluation and communication research, analysis, evaluation and insights.

  • Kora highlights Fintech’s role in bridging financial inclusion gap in Africa

    Kora highlights Fintech’s role in bridging financial inclusion gap in Africa

    The Head of Sales and Partnerships for pan-African payment infrastructure company, Kora, Adetola Oloke, has highlighted the crucial role of fintechs in driving financial inclusion across Africa, at the Africa Fintech Summit 2023, recently held in Lusaka.

    During a panel session titled “Fintech in every industry: agriculture, healthcare, mining, and utility,” Oloke shed light on the tremendous potential of fintech in closing the financial gap faced by one-third of Africa’s population.

    “With one-third of Africa’s population lacking adequate financial services, there is a great need to deepen fintech inclusion even across the most remote places on the continent. Fintech acts as a crucial bridge, enabling these individuals to participate in the formal economy, access needed finance and payment technology and improve their overall quality of life” Olokesaid

    “Over the next ten years, we anticipate fintech to revolutionize the African landscape, improving the quality of life and standard of living for Africans across the continent and at Kora, We are committed to creating lasting impact and empowering individuals by seamlessly connecting them to the digital financial ecosystem.

    Speaking further on Kora’s role in driving financial inclusion across Africa, Oloke emphasized that Kora’s mission is to enable local and global businesses to accept pay-ins, make payouts, and get settled across popular payment channels throughout the continent.

    Kora’s commitment to financial inclusion is built on strategic partnerships with local and global businesses, actively working towards every business and individual gaining access to critical financial services. As fintech continues its expansion across the world with a UK expansion last year and payment processing in Kenya and Ghana, Kora aims to play a fundamental role in enabling businesses to accept payment  and in uplifting the lives of millions across Africa.

  • KenGen steps up hydropower generation, to stabilize costs

    KenGen steps up hydropower generation, to stabilize costs

    Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) has stepped up hydropower generation after the large dams in the Eastern Region recorded improved inflows over the past week on the onset of ongoing rains.

    The NSE-listed company said its operational boost at Seven Forks has been remarkable, with the power stations recording a peak demand of more than 476MW in the last 24 hours alone.

    At the same time, KenGen said it had seen improved water levels at Masinga Dam, which is Kenya’s largest, reaching water levels of 1,042.60 meters above sea level (mASL), surpassing the minimum operational level of 1,037mASL. This positive trend follows a substantial 18.50 millimeters of rainfall received in the area, enhancing the inflow from the Tana River into the dam.

    The company has consequently increased its generation from the lower dams notably Kamburu which also receives water from and River Thiba and Kiambere power station thereby improving the overall performance of the hydro power stations.

    “Despite the encouraging rainfall, the Masinga dam levels are still short of reaching their maximum water level of 1,056.50mASL,” said KenGen Managing Director and CEO, Eng. Peter Njenga adding, “We do not expect Masinga to spill anytime soon as the water levels are ascending very slowly. We remain vigilant and will issue an alert should the dam levels approach spilling thresholds.”

    Eng. Njenga said KenGen remains vigilant and would issue an alert should the dam levels approach spilling thresholds. The current weather reports indicate that heavy rains are continuing across most parts of Kenya, with flooding incidents in regions such as the lower Tana River, Garissa, Mandera, Turkana, Meru, and parts of the Coastal area.

    In light of these developments, KenGen urges residents in the lower areas of River Tana to exercise caution. The KenGen CEO advised those in proximity to major rivers and dams to remain alert and relocate to higher grounds if necessary to prevent any potential loss of lives and property.

     

  • Huawei to accelerate Kenya’s connectivity for inclusive digitalisation

    Huawei to accelerate Kenya’s connectivity for inclusive digitalisation

    Huawei Technologies says it will accelerate development of connectivity infrastructure as a key priority for Kenya’s digital transformation.

    President Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa Leo Chen, says the infrastructure will be more advanced, future-proof, inclusive and accessible.

    In his opening keynote for AfricaCom 2023, Africa’s largest tech conference, currently underway in Cape Town，Leo Chen laid out how the two biggest transformative forces, namely digitalisation and decarbonisation, are driving humanity towards an intelligent world. Kenya, he said, can ride a new wave of” digital-physical convergence”, which marks a new phase of digitalisation, to leapfrog development in the digital economy era.

    “That is because, in the unfolding future, more people, things, and applications will be connected,” he said.

    “This process will generate far more data than it does today. So, we need a more secure, reliable, and developed network to act as the foundation for digitalisation,” added Leo Chen.

    Achieving transformative digitalisation, as Kenya is doing with its ambitious plans to digitalise government services on the E-Citizen Platform and digitise of public records, requires the use of leading-edge connectivity technology such as Huawei’s 4G, 5G and even 5G advanced solutions.

    According to Leo Chen, as Kenya makes progress with laying out 100,000 kilometers of fiber optic internet cable across the country, the connectivity technology needs to be inclusive and future-proof, to support future application scenarios, like smart solutions in vertical industries and smart homes.

    Inclusivity, he pointed out, addresses connectivity in remote areas and to support devices and applications for people living with various disabilities. “This means fiber connectivity can be complemented with the wireless Rural Star solution to connect rural regions with broadband coverage, access to the Internet, and digital services. This bridges the digital gap and enables inclusive development,” said Leo Chen.

    According to Leo Chen, providing computing resources to the government, public and SMEs through the establishment of national cloud data centres will drive the innovation ecosystem.  “By establishing ‘e-Government Clouds, the government can improve operational efficiency, and provide citizens with one-stop and innovative services,” he noted.

    Adopting these kinds ofdigital technologies will also help drive decarbonisation across the continent. In fact, he said, the ICT industry can help reduce global carbon emissions by20%, equivalent to 10 times its own emissions, and can also make digital energy production more efficient.

    “For example, across more than 10 African countries, we have built over 6 000 green sites, and helped carriers save Kshs 4 billion (USD40 million),” explained Leo Chen.

     

  • Sakaja confirms plans to tap into ADB multi-billion funding resources

    Sakaja confirms plans to tap into ADB multi-billion funding resources

    The Nairobi City County Government has confirmed plans to tap into financial resources at the disposal of African municipal institutions from the African Development Bank (ADB).

    The funding resources, which the Nairobi County Government intends to tap into, include a US$ 50 million Municipal Trust Fund recently announced by the Continental Development Bank.

    Speaking from Marrakech, Morocco, where he is attending the Africa Investment Forum, a consultative initiative of the African Development Bank, Nairobi City County Government Governor Sakaja Johnson said the county will present several bankable projects for financing consideration under the Municipal Trust Fund.

    He added that the Nairobi City County Government will also seek to tap into more than US$ 2 billion in resources that ADB provides annually to fund projects and programs that directly impact African urban areas.

    Other cities keen on tapping the financial resources include Kigali, Addis Ababa, and Dakar, among others who attended the High-Level African Mayoral Event and engaged in a discussion themed: Financing for African cities.

    “The African Development Bank has availed US$50million towards its Municipal Trust Fund and a whooping US$2 billion towards developing cities in Africa. I participated in the ongoing Africa Investment Forum at Marrakech, Morocco, where Nairobi strongly committed to tapping into these funds,” Sakaja said.

    He added, “While in Morocco, we also had fruitful engagements with ADB leadership, and its President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has pledged to prioritise bankable projects in Nairobi. As part of my county government’s commitment to make Nairobi work, we plan to deliver bankable projects in urban sanitation and sewerage systems, waste management, infrastructure, financial inclusion, and climate change adaptation for ADB’s consideration.”

    The Africa Investment Forum is a multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary platform that advances projects to bankable stages, raises capital, and accelerates deals to financial closure. Its vision is to channel capital towards critical sectors to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Development Bank’s High 5s and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

    Since its launch in 2018, the Africa Investment Forum has mobilised nearly $143 billion in investment interest. Its centrepiece is the annual three-day Market Days event. It brings together thousands of global investors, heads of development finance institutions, and business and government leaders to advance critical investment transactions to closure.

    Backed by ADB financial resources, the city of Nairobi in 2020 completed the Nairobi Outer Ring Road project thanks to $107million in funding. The project has resulted in the upgrade of a 13-kilometrestretch of carriageway. It included provisions for a future median bus rapid transit system.

     

     

  • Kenya anticipates highest rates of security threats in 2024: report

    Kenya anticipates highest rates of security threats in 2024: report

    Global companies in Kenya anticipate facing highest rates of security threats in 2024, according to World Security Report published by G4S.

    In the report, the security threats which include supply chain attacks, malicious damage to company property and violence against employees could have a serious impact on business continuity for large, global companies operating in Kenya.

    Supply chain attacks are likely to jump this year, anticipated by 33% of respondents, up from 26% who experienced these attacks last year. Cases of malicious damage to company property are anticipated by 35% of those surveyed, up from 28% who reported experiencing this type of incident last year.

    The report which is first-ever World Security Report is from a survey of 1,775 Chief Security Officers (CSOs) in 30 countries at large, global companies with total revenue of more than $20 trillion.

    The CSOs anticipate a sharp increase in the internal security threat of violence against employees; 48% of respondents expect this to affect their company up from 39% a year ago. This is well above the expected regional and global averages.

    Laurence Okelo, Managing Director of G4S Kenya commented on the report saying, “Kenya has one of the strongest economies in Sub-Saharan Africa and global companies benefit greatly from operating here. CSOs will need to be laser-focused on their security over the coming year given the expected rise in threats across a number of fronts – and the detrimental impact on business continuity when breaches do occur. Good security is a strategic imperative as the threats we face become more complex and multi-faceted.”

    The research found that previous security incidents have had a significant impact on business continuity; at 35% more CSOs in Kenya than in any other country surveyed said their supply chain was disrupted as a result.

    More CSOs than in any other country said they faced business interruption costs and a loss of revenue following a security incident and at 37%, Kenya was the second highest country to report a fall in stock price value following a security incident.

    Overall, Kenya-based CSOs expect to face some of the highest rates of security threats of all 30 countries surveyed in the next 12 months; fraud and misuse of company resources or data are the biggest external and internal concerns respectively.

    Climate change is considered to be one of the country’s top security-impacting hazards for the next 12 months, cited by 56% of CSOs versus a regional average of 44%. Similarly, disruption to energy supplies is identified as an expected security-impacting hazard by 44% of CSOs in Kenya whereas the global average is 33%.

    Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the world and as companies grow, they are faced with multiple challenges both inside and outside their businesses. Focusing on robust processes and early warning security systems will help with preparedness and the ability to tackle the challenges they face.

    Economic unrest creates security pressures in many forms and leaders will need to be vigilant and innovative in tackling these, through the use of well-designed security programs that combine good situational security intelligence, the right people and security technology,” said Mel Brooks, Regional CEO G4S Africa & Middle East.