BY JEREMY OPAR Kenya’s Constitution has been hailed as being transformative. It is a value-oriented. Its interpretation and application must therefore not be mechanical. It must be guided by the spirit and the soul of the Constitution itself as ingrained in the national values and principles of governance espoused in the preamble and, inter alia, Article 10 of the Constitution. For 50 years, Kenyans were excluded from participation in political, economic and cultural systems that shape their lives. Exclusion meant policies failed to address their needs and favored those with power and resources. Devolution has however, empowered them and also…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
BY ANNE AMADI As part of the Judiciary Transformation process for speedier and more efficient service delivery, Kenya’s Judiciary has put in place measures to effectively deal with the age-old problem of never-ending case backlogs in the courts. Among these measures include recruitment of more Judicial Officers and Staff, building and refurbishment of more courts, adoption of modern management practices including but not limited to leveraging ICT (information communication technology) in case management and processes. The Judiciary has also carried out special initiatives such as themed Service Weeks where categorized cases are heard and concluded within the Service Week period.…
BY VICTOR ADAR Innovation has been driving development, presenting limitless opportunities. Globally, access to the Internet and to mobile phones is steadily growing. What it means is that savvy consumers are seemingly taking advantage if figures are anything to go by. In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 60% of individuals can access a mobile phone, which is no longer just a communication device but also a tool for enhancing lives. When well used, innovation can lift Kenya’s economy exponentially. This is backed by a report from the Communications Authority of Kenya that shows that mobile penetration stood at 95.1% as at…
BY ANTONY MUTUNGA The motor vehicle market in Africa is one of the fastest growing industries. The trade in new and used cars, motorcycles, buses, and trucks is now a multi-billion-dollar business on the continent. In fact, according to the UN Environment Africa Used Vehicle report of 2018, automotive imports were valued at $48 billion (Sh4.8 trillion) in 2014. Even though both new and used cars are imported, used cars are the most popular as they are affordable to most of the population. In Kenya, more than 96% of imported vehicles are normally second-hand cars despite their obvious risk to…
BY STEVEN T. KARGMAN The airline industry globally often faces serious financial and operational challenges, and in recent times it has not been uncommon to see airlines even in many industrialized countries undergo major restructurings. However, the travails facing airlines in Africa generally seem to be more acute than in most other parts of the world. The disparity between the performance of African and non-African airlines is evident most clearly and strikingly in the profitability results for airlines in different regions around the globe. As shown in data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa stands out starkly as…
Kibo Africa Limited, a local mobility solutions company with a focus on the motorcycle segment has launched their latest motorcycle, the Kibo K250. The launch took place at a colorful event at the National Museum in Nairobi last month and was attended by influential members of the transport sector with the Ms Betty Maina, MBS – Principal Secretary State Department for Investment and Industry as chief guest. Thanking Kibo Africa management for choosing to invest in Kenya, Ms Maina said that the opportunity has created employment for hardworking Kenyans even as she hailed the motorcycle assembler’s commitment to safety. “Motorcycles are…
It is said that an appropriate financial assets authority regime requires regulations that cut across. That’s probably why there was need for Kenya to form an agency that would remain committed to receive, safeguard and re-unite unclaimed assets for social prosperity and economic development with all relevant stakeholders. The institution, named Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA), was necessitated by the fact that huge sums of unclaimed assets are being held by institutions in Kenya, and aims at working on behalf of the State in ensuring that unclaimed financial assets have been fused with their rightful owners. John Kihara Mwangi is…
BY GILBERT KIRUI Choice and correct use of a planter are key elements in achieving the right plant population and consequently a good crop. If you are buying a planter it is important to consider the size of your farm. The initial purchase price is a priority, but you also need to consider your expenditure over the next few years on spares, servicing and repairs. Like all machinery, after the purchase, the after sales support and availability of the spare parts a key consideration to make. The output of your planter should be sufficient for you to take full advantage…
BY VICTOR ADAR While studying BA, Political Science and Tourism degree from 2011 to 2015 at the University of Nairobi, Pancras Karema, now a shrewd businessman, sometimes organised getaway trips on behalf of his peers. Although during campus he had classmates and friends whom he would take out for safaris with no one to guide him, little did he know that one day holiday tours and travel would become his pre-occupation and take him to higher heights. It was in 2014 when the entrepreneurship bug bit the 29- year -old. Back then, he did not have any capital and simply…
BY EMILY LOUISE BOWMAN Illnesses such as measles and diphtheria have re-emerged at alarming rates in Venezuela at a time when 22,000 doctors have left the country and 75% of hospitals lack basic medicines typically available in functioning hospitals. Interim President Juan Guaidó lays the blame squarely at the feet of Nicolás Maduro. “Health systems have collapsed, a growing number of children are suffering from malnutrition, and previously eradicated illnesses have re-emerged,” he wrote in the New York Times. The World Health Organization declared record cases of measles, diphtheria and malaria in Venezuela in 2018. Only two years ago, the organization…