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Author: Claire Wanja

  • Former Kilifi Speaker Jimmy Kahindi appointed as PPRA chair

    Former Kilifi Speaker Jimmy Kahindi appointed as PPRA chair

    Former Kilifi Speaker Jimmy Kahindi has been appointed Chairman of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Board (PPRA) effective August 18 this year.

    In a gazette Notice dated August 18 2023, President William Ruto appointed Kahindi to serve as chairman of the Public Procurement Regulatory Board for a period of three years.

    Ruto revoked the appointment of Andrew Mukite Musangi with immediate effect.

    Kahindi will now be in charge of procurement processes at the County and National Governments.

    In a statement The Former Speaker said the announcement comes after careful consideration of his remarkable achievements, his solid legal background, and his genuine dedication to serving the people.

    “With his new appointment, Hon. Jimmy Kahindi assumes a pivotal role as the Chairman of the PPRA, where he is poised to bring his extensive experience and qualifications to revolutionize public procurement processes. His unwavering dedication to combating corruption, promoting competition, and optimizing the use of public funds underscores his commitment to delivering value to the people of Kenya,” said the statement in part.

    Kahindi said one of his key priorities shall be to infuse innovation and digitalization into the public procurement landscape.

    Leveraging cutting-edge technologies, the Chairman also seeks to streamline procurement methodologies and strengthen accountability, thereby fostering a transformative environment that nurtures trust, ignites economic growth, and fuels Kenya’s overall development.

    On Friday social media in Kilifi County were filled with congratulatory messages as news of his appointment spread to the grassroots.

    Many Stakeholders across various sectors expressed optimism that he would be able to drive positive change within the PPRA.

    Contacted Kahindi expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm for the challenges ahead.

    “I am truly honoured by this appointment and the faith that President Ruto has placed in me. My goal is to establish a procurement framework that not only meets international standards but also aligns with the aspirations of every Kenyan citizen,” he said.

    Kahindi’s journey to this pivotal role has been marked by a series of impressive accomplishments that reflect his commitment to legal excellence and public service.

    He graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Nairobi.

    He served as speaker of Kilifi County Assembly From 2013 to 2022.

  • Peter Njenga appointed KenGen MD and CEO

    Peter Njenga appointed KenGen MD and CEO

    The KenGen PLC board of directors has announced the appointment of Peter Waweru Njenga as the company’s new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

    He takes over from Abraham Serem, who served in an acting capacity.

    In statement on Thursday, KenGen noted the new CEO boasts 31 years of experience in corporate leadership and management in the energy sector.

    “Prior to his appointment, Eng. Njenga was the General Manager for Infrastructure Development at Kenya Power and Lighting Company PLC, where he also held various positions in senior management spanning over 5years,” said the statement.

    Eng. Njenga holds a bachelor of science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nairobi and a master’s degree in Business Administration (Strategic Management) from the same institution with a vast in-depth range of professional training in leadership and management from different institutions, including Harvard Business School and Strathmore University,” KenGen stated.

    “The Board congratulates Eng. Njenga on his appointment and further wishes to recognize and appreciate Mr Serem for his ardent leadership during the period he served.” Added the statement.

  • MPs in Africa TB Caucus call on Heads of State to commit in a bid to end TB

    MPs in Africa TB Caucus call on Heads of State to commit in a bid to end TB

    Thirty Parliamentarians from across Africa have called on Heads of State to attend the forthcoming United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis (UNHLM) and make meaningful commitments in a bid to end tuberculosis (TB) on the continent, and ultimately around the world.

    Amid concerns about the current status of intergovernmental talks on TB in New York, the ground-breaking Nairobi Declaration was signed during July’s “Future-proof: Africa TB Summit 2023” convened by the Global TB Caucus. The Summits’ theme, “Future-proof”, is a popular term which means “unlikely to fail”, adopted by The Caucus with the spirit of ending TB once and for all.

    The Declaration, which has been signed by Parliamentarians from 20 countries, highlights that “2023 UN High Level Meeting negotiations are a long way from where they need to be” risking “a huge missed opportunity” to get the fight against TB back on track.

    It calls for action to ‘accelerate research and development, roll-out and access to new TB vaccines, diagnostics, treatment and care, and other essential new tools, including digital health technologies, through health systems strengthening and accountability measures,’ and commits signatories to campaign for improvements in domestic financing, policy and legislation in their respective national Parliaments.

    Speaking after the signing, Hon. Stephen Mule, Member of Parliament of Matungulu, Head of the National TB Caucus of Kenya and Regional Co-Chair of Anglophone Africa, confirmed that the declaration will help African countries easily track the targets they have set in eradicating TB.

    MP Matungulu Stephen Mule, Head of the National TB Caucus of Kenya and Co-Chair of the Africa during the Africa TB Summit.

    He stated: “Globally, TB is the leading infectious cause of death and Africa carries about a quarter of the total global TB burden. As parliamentarians from Africa, we are glad that we have signed this declaration today and collectively, we shall be seeking to drive the political will to end TB in our respective countries. This Regional Joint declaration will further create a framework that stakeholders in this continent can adopt and utilise as we work collectively to end TB.”

    Data from the World Health Organisation indicates that more than 74 million lives have been saved from TB globally since 2000.

    However, Africa remains a high-burden continent for TB, with TB/HIV and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) among the leading causes of deaths in the continent. Strong political will is necessary to safeguard and secure stronger policies and strategic planning.

    The Global TB Caucus – an international network of 2,500 political representatives dedicated to ending TB – convened the 2023 Africa TB Summit to galvanise political will, building on regional summits held in Asia-Pacific (APC) and Eastern Europe & Central Asia (EECA) earlier this year.

    The regional summits build towards the September’s UNHLM on TB by strengthening national and regional partnerships and political commitment on health policies. Parliamentarians from across the Africa, APC and EECA regions will join their colleagues from the Americas and Western Europe in New York in September as part of The Caucus’ global delegation to the UNHLM.

     

  • Webb Fontaine and KenTrade partner to revolutionize Kenya logistics market

    Webb Fontaine and KenTrade partner to revolutionize Kenya logistics market

    Webb Fontaine has partnered with Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) to revolutionize the Kenyan logistics landscape with the Digital Logistics Market Place (DLMP).

    The innovative, first-of-its-kind platform is poised to reshape logistics practices, igniting trade volumes, catalyzing e-commerce growth, and serving as a catalyst for further development of this immense trade marketplace.

    Kenya leverages its strategic location, robust infrastructure, and diversified economy. The DLMP establishes an online marketplace for trade, connecting businesses and private sector players, thus simplifying trade logistics. The marketplace will be a catalyst addition to develop this huge trade marketplace even further.

    “The DLMP is an online marketplace of trade,” explained Alioune Ciss, CEO of Webb Fontaine. “It offers B2B services to traders with seamless search, find, and send capabilities, fostering growth, reliability, and empowerment.”

    The DLMP functions as an integrated toolbox, introducing an innovative trade electronic platform that brings together shipping lines, trucking companies, freight forwarders, importers, exporters, warehousing firms, and insurance providers in an integrated digital marketplace. This platform empowers participants to showcase their services online and compete for bids, fostering a competitive environment that drives efficiency and cost savings.

    By bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, businesses can confidently select the most suitable service providers at the best rates, ensuring optimized logistics and a streamlined supply chain. This innovative platform redefines collaboration, delivering unparalleled value to the logistics industry. Powered by leading technology, it will also significantly reduce the time stakeholders need to conduct their business operations.

    The DLMP’s impact extends beyond its core objectives, revolutionizing the Kenya logistics market. It is expected to catalyze trade volumes and expedite e-commerce growth, playing a pivotal role in the digital economy.

    With its developed infrastructure and diversified economy, Kenya is an East African trade powerhouse. This collaboration between Webb Fontaine and KenTrade promises new efficiencies and opportunities for trade and logistics.

    SOURCE Webb Fontaine

  • KTCPA lauds agency’s school meals program

    KTCPA lauds agency’s school meals program

    The Kenya Teachers Colleges Principals Association (KTCPA) is upbeat that the school meals program being supported by the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) will improve teaching and learning outcomes in targeted regions.

    The association chairperson, Saul Barasa, lauded the initiative saying it will ensure increased enrollment and retention of learners in schools.

    Speaking at the ongoing KTCPA annual conference in Mombasa,  Barasa observed that teachers training colleges are the single most educators of teachers who are deployed to teach in the primary schools targeted by the meals program, hence the interest of the association in cross-cutting solutions in the education sector.

    “We are concerned about school meals and feeding programs because they support learning by allowing children to stay in schools where our graduates are posted to teach”, he said.

    According to NACONEK, the school meals program supports 2.3 million primary school learners in arid, semi-arid and urban informal settlements spread across eleven counties and eighty-five sub counties countrywide.

    “We supply the schools with hot meals which include cereals and rice, fortified vegetable oil and table salt” said Peninah Kiriago, NACONEK’s representative in the school meals unit.

    The council distributes the meals every term and has developed a multi-stakeholder monitoring mechanism to ensure that that the meals reach intended learners.

    The Kenya Colleges Teachers Principals Association (KCTPA) annual conference resumed after a three years hiatus due to COVID 19, bringing together institution heads from forty-one public and private teachers training colleges.

    Under the auspices of ‘empowering the teacher educator in the era of education reform’, the conference seeks to position teachers training colleges for the adoption and implementation of the recommendations of the recently published Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) taskforce report.

    “This conference is important because it gives an opportunity for us to share insights about the PWPER taskforce report, understand what is expected of us as well as our role in implementing the report in totality”, said Barasa.

  • DP Gachagua says coffee reforms are unstoppable

    DP Gachagua says coffee reforms are unstoppable

    Frameworks to support coffee sub sector reforms will be ready before the end of the year, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said.

    Speaking when he received various documents from stakeholders on Thursday at the Karen Official Residence, Nairobi, Mr Gachagua said the reforms will restore the lost glory of the crop and improve the life of the farmer.

    The documents handed to the Deputy President were Meru Coffee Reforms Conference Metrics and Roadmap, draft sessional paper Number one of 2023 on  sustainable quality coffee production for food security and wealth creation, the coffee bill 2023, the Draft Co-operatives Bill 2023, and the Sessional paper No. 1 of 2020 on the National Co-operative Policy.

    He said, among other institutional reforms, the government targets to revive the Coffee Board of Kenya and the Coffee Research Institute. This is alongside strengthening the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union (NEW KPCU).

    “I thank you for your commitment and passion to get sustainable reforms in the coffee subsector with a view of restoring the dignity of the Kenyan coffee farmer. Because the subsector was working initially, I am so confident that we will succeed. We just need to know where the rain began to beat us and trace our steps to see what we were doing when we got it right so we can do something similar or even better to get better results,” he said.

    He said some of the proposals will be made into law. He said farmers will support the reforms because they have been involved. Within two months farmers will support us.

    Implementing the proposed reforms, will address legislative and administrative systems concerning the coffee value chain, will start in earnest since the Deputy President said he will next week meet members of agriculture Committees from the bicameral parliament to deliberate of the legislative agenda touching on coffee business.

    “I want to assure you of the commitment of the Ruto administration in pushing sustainable results in this subsector. These reforms are unstoppable and ourselves will not be intimidated. We will push on. The President and I are willing to take the political heat from any direction it comes from because we are persuaded that great leaders are defined by their ability and capacity to take hard decisions in the interest of their society and country,” said the Deputy President.

    Led by Cabinet Secretary for the Cooperatives & Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises( MSME) Development Simon Chelugui, the team of stakeholders handed to the Deputy President its report and recommendations on implementation of the resolutions made by coffee farmers during the conference held in Meru early in the year.

    Among the team’s recommendations, is an amendment of the Coffee Bill which is pending in Parliament, amending the Cooperatives Act and streamlining of the governance of cooperative societies.

    Another proposal is amalgamation of coffee cooperative societies that are not economically viable.

    “We must come up with economically viable cooperatives and threshold for election of leaders and officials of the societies. If we do not look at the Cooperative Act, we won’t get anywhere because there are serious governance issues,” remarked Mr Gachagua.

    The Deputy President will next month lead a delegation of coffee farmers, stakeholders and government officials to Columbia to attend the World Coffee Conference, where they will also learn on the best practices of farming the commodity.

    He said the Ruto-administration intends to increase coffee production from the current 50,000 metric tonnes annually to 200,000 metric tonnes within five years.

  • Ruto nominates Renson Mulele Igonga as next DPP

    Ruto nominates Renson Mulele Igonga as next DPP

    President William Ruto has nominated Renson Igonga as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to replace now National Intelligence Services (NIS) boss, Noordin Haji.

    Before his nomination, Ingonga worked as an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions.

    In an announcement made on Thursday by the National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetang’ula in parliament, Andrew Musangi was also nominated by the President as Chairman of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).

    Once approved, Musangi will replace Mohammed Nyaoga who exited the position after completing his second tenure in office in June.

    Andrew Musangi

    Musangi will undergo vetting by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning of the National Assembly jointly sitting with the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget.

    President picked Musangi from a list of six candidates shortlisted by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

    Wetang’ula directed the Justice and Legal Affairs committee to conduct an approval hearing on the suitability of the nominee and table its report in 28 days.

    The names have been forwarded to Parliament for vetting.

  • COP28 President-Designate calls on international community to deliver on climate finance

    COP28 President-Designate calls on international community to deliver on climate finance

    COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber has addressed the nineteenth session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), sharing his vision and priorities for COP28, especially the need for adaptation financing and acceleration of the energy transition.

    A key partner to COP28, AMCEN unites environment ministers from across the continent and provides political guidance and coordinates policy positions among its member states, which include all 54 African countries. Ethiopia will chair AMCEN in 2024.

    In his speech, Dr. Al Jaber highlighted the need for urgent action to put the world back on track to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and keep the ambition of 1.5 within reach.

    “With just over 100 days before the world gathers in Dubai for COP28, both the science and common sense are telling us that our collective response to climate change is nowhere near good enough.”

    The COP President Designate not only recognized Africa’s position at the frontline of climate impacts but also its performance and potential as a leading force in the energy transition.

    He said, “When it comes to transitioning to an energy system free of unabated fossil fuels, Africa has many lessons for the rest of us. Here in Ethiopia, almost 100 per cent of the country’s energy comes from renewable hydro power. […] across this great continent, a young and growing population is seizing the potential of other clean energy sources from wind to solar and choosing low carbon economic growth.”

    However, he also acknowledged that a chronic lack of available, accessible and affordable climate finance is holding back Africa’s potential, noting that barely one tenth of global climate finance finds its way to the continent.

    As such, Dr. Al Jaber highlighted the urgent need to reform international climate finance. He said, “First, the international community must come through with the 100-billion-dollar pledge they made over a decade ago. I will continue to press donor countries to ensure delivery no later than this year […] Next, the entire global financial architecture from IFIs to MDBs needs modernizing. They were built for the second half of the last century. They urgently need to be upgraded to meet the needs of this one.”

    He was also clear on his call to action on Loss and Damage: “We must operationalize the fund and funding arrangements for Loss and Damage, and early pledges are vital to ensure we live up to the commitments made at Sharm El Sheikh.”

    In making these remarks, Dr. Al Jaber referred to a meeting of the Independent High-Level Expert Group (IHLEG) that united world leading economists in Abu Dhabi for two days of talks on the 15 and 16 August.

    The meeting, which was attended by leading figures including IHLEG co-chairs Lord Nicholas Stern and Dr. Vera Songwe as well as representatives from the World Bank, IMF, ECF and IFC, the COP28 and COP27 Presidencies, set out crucial next steps to reform international climate finance. A detailed report, including a clear roadmap on how to implement recommendations, will be presented to world leaders at COP28.

    Looking to the future and another significant moment to drive forward ‘fixing climate finance’, Dr. Al Jaber also announced that the COP28 UAE Presidency will co-host the third Climate and Development Ministerial alongside the UK, Malawi and Vanuatu governments in the UAE on 29 October during the formal ‘pre-COP’ period.

    The meeting – which will focus on advancing access to, and delivery of, adaptation finance – will be led by climate and development ministers from LDC and AOSIS states and will also be attended by ministers and leaders from ally countries, International Financial Organizations (IFIs), multilateral development banks (MDBs), Climate Funds and leading multinational organizations.

    During his visit to Ethiopia, Dr. Al Jaber also held bilateral meetings with African leaders to discuss the COP28 climate finance and energy transition agenda, including with Alioune Ndoye, Minister of Environment, Development and Ecological Transition of Senegal; Barbra Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs of South Africa and Collins Nzovu, Minister of Green Economy and Environment of Zambia.

    He also particularly praised Ethiopia’s afforestation and reforestation-focused Green Legacy Initiative, which has created over 767,000 green jobs under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s leadership.

    Dr. Al Jaber’s visit to the African region and speech at the AMCEN summit is an important moment in mobilizing African leaders ahead of COP28 and preparing the ground for strong outcomes on international climate finance, including loss and damage.

    SOURCE COP28

  • Faulu Bank and GIZ partner to unlock green financing to Kenyan farmers

    Faulu Bank and GIZ partner to unlock green financing to Kenyan farmers

    Faulu Microfinance Bank and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have partnered to allow smallholder farmers in the dairy and horticulture value chains to access green financing.

    This is part of the sustainable energy for smallholder farmers’ project being implemented in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.

    The Bank aims at disbursing Ksh 120 million during the pilot phase to about 400 individuals in at least 6 counties (Kirinyaga, Meru, Muranga, Nakuru, Machakos, and Makueni) for investment in Solar powered irrigation, solar-powered cooling, and solar drying among other solar technologies.

    Commenting on the partnership, Faulu Chief Executive Officer Julius Ouma said, “We are more than happy to partner with GIZ in empowering our traders and farmers across the country. Because of this project, we will support smallholder farmers in accessing and using solar energy to improve their livelihoods and increase their resilience to climate change. We also hope that our support will increase their productivity and economic competitiveness.”

    The project aims to support the demonstration and scaling up of innovative and market-based business cases using renewable energy technologies for cooling, irrigation, and drying targeting MSMEs in agricultural value chains.

    To be implemented in four phases, the project’s pilot phase will see Faulu Bank determine the financing needs of smallholder farmers for solar-powered appliances and equipment and develop appropriate financial products. The bank will also identify reputable distributor partners for the relevant solutions and, build capacity for both staff and potential customers.

    Through this partnership, Faulu and GIZ are set to invest KES 15.2 million towards capacity building and promotion of a green financing portfolio set to benefit at least 400 farmers whom the bank looks to fund to acquire solar water pumps and other related solar-powered technologies. Currently, the majority of smallholder farmers use petrol- or diesel-powered engines to pump water for irrigation or watering livestock.  These are expensive to run and maintain and also release Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to the environment.

    “Through the provision of green financing solutions, this partnership will unlock access to modern renewable energy technologies and climate-smart practices that improve farmers’ livelihoods, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and their farming activities become resilient to climate change.” Valerie Ostheimer, Project Leader GIZ- EnDev Kenya.

    L-R, Faulu Bank Ag Chief Executive Officer Julius Ouma shakes hands with GIZ- EnDev Kenya Project Leader Valerie Ostheimer after signing a partnership at the Faulu Bank Head office on Green Financing aimed at supporting smallholder farmers in the dairy and horticulture value chains in Kenya. The Bank aims at disbursing KES120 million during the partnership pilot phase to about 400 individuals in at least 6 counties- Kirinyaga, Meru, Muranga, Nakuru, Machakos, and Makueni for investment in Solar powered irrigation, solar-powered cooling, and solar-drying among other solar technologies.

    According to a recent Efficiency for Access report by Endev and the IKEA foundation that analyses the use and Impact of Solar Water Pumps, at least 58 percent of customers who use solar-powered pumps report significant improvement in their quality of life since they begin relying on solar technology for irrigation.  More specifically, 87 percent reported an improvement in their way of farming, and there were also widespread reports of improvement in confidence, production, and increased earnings.

    Over the last decade, the use of renewable energy has grown rapidly, especially for household lighting and large-scale application. However, low awareness and low affordability by target end users along with limited consumer financing options are key constraints to adoption, especially in important economic sectors such as agriculture and informal trading.

    With Kenya being an agriculturally based economy, predominantly characterized by subsistence farming practiced mainly by low-income smallholder farmers, the adoption of renewable energy technologies will result in a far-reaching impact on the sector.

     

  • Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince to visit UK in his first trip this autumn

    Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince to visit UK in his first trip this autumn

    Saudi Arabia’s crown price is set to visit the UK this autumn, marking his first trip to Britain since the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

    In an effort to improve ties with the oil-rich Gulf state, the Government has invited Mohammed bin Salman to visit later in the year.

    The diplomatic gesture will seek to repair relations after MBS was frozen out by the West following the alleged assassination of Khashoggi on 2 October 2018.

    It comes as Britain seeks Saudi support in a putting together a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a Riyadh-based union of Gulf states.

    Downing Street last night declined to comment on whether an invite has been extended, as first reported by the Financial Times, citing a Government official.

    ‘MBS’ was previously accused of ordering the assassination of the Washington Post and Middle East Eye writer at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, but denied involvement.

    He alleges rogue agents were behind the attack.

    Asked about the Prime Minister’s view of the journalist’s killing, his official spokesman said: ‘From the start we have been clear that this murder was a terrible crime and that Saudi Arabia must ensure such an atrocity can never happen again.

    ‘We’ve sanctioned 20 Saudi nationals involved in the murder under the global human rights scheme.’

    Khashoggi was a prominent writer and edited the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al Watan, making it a progressive channel for Saudis.

    He went into self-imposed exile in 2017 and fled the country, before going on to write articles highly critical of the regime – including the crown prince.

    On 2 October 2018, Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate to collect marriage documents but was never seen to leave the building.

    Reports emerged claiming he had been dismembered inside. The Saudi government initially denied his death, until Saudi Arabia’s Attorney General concluded he had been murdered.

    The CIA determined that MBS had ordered the journalist’s assassination, flaring tensions between East and West and inviting calls to sever diplomatic ties.

    Labour, at the time, attacked the government for doing too little to put pressure on Saudi Arabia over the presumed murder.

    Emily Thornberry, then Shadow Foreign Secretary, said Jeremy Hunt’s plea for ‘urgent answers’ from Riyadh was ‘too little, too late’, writing in the Observer in October 2018.

    Later in the month, demonstrators marched on the Saudi Embassy in London to protest attacks on Yemen and the killing of Khashoggi.

    In his writing, Khashoggi was critical of Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen.

    Britain is aiming to strengthen its ties with the kingdom despite concerns over its human rights record as it seeks to attract investment from the oil-rich Gulf following Brexit.

    In November 2022, Rishi Sunak was pictured sat across from MBS at the G20 summit in Nusa Dua, Bali.

    In the first of their talks together since Sunak took office, the Prime Minister spoke of his wish to ‘work together’ to the benefit of the two countries.

    Five days ago, Saudi Arabia requested inclusion in a joint next-generation fighter jet project signed between the UK, Japan and Italy.

    While the UK and Italy are open to the idea, Japan has made its opposition clear.

    Source: Daily Mail