BY GAD WESONGA To a resounding relieve for farmers in Kenya, the drought that was ravaging and scorching the country came to end during Easter celebrations. This erased the gloom that had engulfed the nation after the dreadful announcement by the weatherman that Kenyan rain was stuck in Tanzania. The farmer’s despondency on planting is now temporarily suspended but the anxiety over the controversial draft proposal on crop and dairy production prevails. A journey through the proposed regulations draws emotive and mixed reactions. For Gerald Odamong, a Busia County-based farmer of many decades, this is agrarian aggression. “What are the…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
BY SHADRACK MUYESU Regulation 30 of the Food (Food crops) Regulations 2018 prohibits a grower from using human faecal matter and raw animal manure for the production of food crops. It is a curious provision. The Ministry of Agriculture says that the regulations are aimed at addressing the various challenges in the food crops industry thereby boosting food security and enabling President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda. An alternative view is that far from achieving this aim, the regulations not only cripple the small farmer; they threaten food security in the long term and come at a great cost to…
BY VICTOR ADAR When a financial services provider, UAP Holdings Limited (UAPHL), reported its full year financial results for 2018 at a recent investor briefing, the mood and character of those who were in the room was mixed. The firm recorded a loss of Sh518 million, which is a dip from Sh608 million profits before tax that it recorded the previous year. At the centre of the deterioration in financial results include unrealized losses in the equity portfolio, property valuation write-downs mainly in the South Sudan portfolio, credit loss impairments, the adoption of international accounting standard (popular as IFRS 9)…
BY David Onjili In the end, it is a business venture. Irrespective of how an individual ascended to the highest management level, the owner expects positive returns on his investments. This is the duty of any manager, to ensure that you maximize on utility. Leadership within organizations takes different models. In certain instances, the company may decide to promote one of the staff into a senior position or entirely hire a new individual. When an internal member of staff ascends into such a position, often times they are insiders and comprehend the politics within the organization. Yet, as often the…
Kenyan farmers will soon have their own market where they sell produce directly to consumers, cutting off the traditional value chain that is replete with middlemen. The Nairobi Farmers Market, which is under construction in the upmarket Runda Estate, will contain 45 stalls that are exclusively operated by farmers. This borrows from international practice where most cities have farmers markets that supply produce direct from the farms to the consumers. While some provide temporary selling space for different farmers on a day-to-day basis, others lease out permanent shops that are operated by individual farmers who take the space on a…
By Philip Mainga Rail is the future of transport. In recent years, countries have turned to it to address some of the problems threatening their transport systems. Increasingly, we desire trains that are fast, reliable, energy efficient and able to cope with the increasing demand on infrastructure. We are looking to rail to deliver new innovations and make more efficient use of our existing and future infrastructure. From our own trends, we can predict that we will make more progress in the railway sector over the next two decades than we have in the last 100 years. New technologies and…
BY DAVID ONJILI The aviation industry, considered the safest mode of transport due to the few incidences of accidents has recently had its fair share of tragic events in late 2018 and early 2019. Specifically, the Ethiopian Airways (ET) flight 302 and Lion Air of Indonesia crash that led to a loss of 346 lives directs the spotlight to Boeing and specifically their upgraded single-aisle 737 Max planes. “I can assure you the 737 Max will be back in the air soon. They will find a solution to the ‘problem’, issue an AD, (A compulsory Airworthiness Directive detailing a modification/improvement…
Panasonic, a global leader in efficient and innovative air conditioning solutions, has unveiled its latest lineup of air conditioners for the Omani market, which complies with the new energy efficiency regulations in the Sultanate. Launched in collaboration with its local partner, Oman Marketing and Services Company LLC (OMASCO), the new range AC models are built with an eco-friendly, non-ozone layer depleting R410A refrigerant, and engineered for maximum performance and reliability with unmatched high-energy efficiency. “The launch of these high energy-efficient R410A air conditioner models is in line with our committed efforts of leading the way in providing efficient, responsible air solutions…
American multinational conglomerate, General Electric, has appointed Brenda Mbathi as the new chief executive officer for East Africa as Allan Kilavuka who was the head of global operations in Africa exits to join Jambojet. Some changes at the top can be frustrating but the value of this one is that it makes you a vital industry force. Prior to being appointed the new CEO, Ms Mbathi served as the executive director for government affairs and policy for Eastern Africa since 2015. She boasts of more than 27 years of experience in government affairs, corporate social responsibility as well as corporate…
Members of the Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (KAPI) have elected their Executive Committee, with the chairperson and three other office bearers retaining their positions at the Annual General Meeting held in April. KAPI brings together pharmaceutical companies that research, develop, manufacture and import Healthcare products and technologies in Kenya. The newly elected Executive Committee will serve for a one-year term. Dr Anastasia Nyalita from Bayer East Africa Ltd will continue to serve as chairperson, with Vinod Guptan of Surgipharm as vice chairman, Dr Winnie Ng’ang’a of GlaxoSmithKline as executive secretary and Dr. Douglas Weru of Bayer as Honorary Treasurer. The…