Author: NLM Correspondent

By Emeka Mayaka Gekara The March 9, 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga is not anchored on any law. It is political marriage whose survival rests upon the good faith of the two partners. While it has been lauded for restoring sanity after a disputed election, it has also helped expose one of the biggest weaknesses of Kenyan politics: it is dangerously personalised.  Significantly, it has been argued that it was meant to buttress the political ambitions of the two leaders. Having realized that he cannot implement his agenda and secure a legacy in an environment of…

By Kibe Mungai “There is no present or future – only the past happening over and over again – now” – Eugene O’Neill, A Moon for the Misbegotten Even as pundits seek to unravel the nature and motive of the political deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and NASA leader Raila Odinga which culminated in the famous handshake of March 9, 2018 on the steps of Harambee House, it is not easy to begrudge its utility without betraying some jaundice. A year after the handshake it may well be true that it has not added sufurias of ugali in Kenyan households…

By Shadrack Muyesu Mursik may soon be illegal in Kenya if proposed regulations to govern the dairy sector are adopted. According to proposed the guidelines which seem to favour large milk companies at the expense of the small scale producer, the Dairy Industry (Licensing) Regulations of 2018, farmers will no longer be able to sell, offer sale or expose for consumption any milk in its raw form without  a license issued by the Dairy Board. The regulations further propose that producers will not be able to buy or sell raw milk unless they do so in bulk, through organised groups…

By NLM Writer Africa must digitise its economies, broaden its tax base, prevent further deterioration of fiscal and debt positions, and aim for double-digit growth to achieve the UN 2030 global goals (SDGs), as well as the AU Agenda 2063, according to the 2019 Economic Report on Africa released today at the Conference of Ministers. This year’s Economic Report on Africa, a publication of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) focuses on fiscal policy. Government revenues account for 21.4 percent, insufficient to meet countries’ development financing needs. Says Vera Songwe, the ECA’s Executive Secretary: “The Report identifies several…

By NLM Writer The CIA recently released de-classified intelligence on the Kenya. Following is a portion of the highly sensitive report, quoted here verbatim. “Economic stake of Kenyatta family The family and closest associates of the late President Jomo Kenyatta occupied many of the key posts in the Kenyan economy and accumulated extensive agricultural and commercial wealth during the 15-year Kenyatta rule. This Kenyatta clique of Kikuyu tribal leaders currently forms the only group in likely position to mount a stiff challenge to acting president Daniel T. Arap Moi—a member of the minority Kalenjin tribal group—and his major supporter Attorney General…

By Emeka-Mayaka Gekara When, in 2008, William Ruto donated foodstuff to internally displaced people at the Eldoret showground, many of them rejected the gesture. Human rights crusader Maina Kiai, who had accompanied Ruto, seen and acknowledged as a critic of the Mwai Kibaki regime, was forcibly ejected from showground by the angry victims of the post-election violence. Most of them were Kikuyus who had been uprooted from their homes in the Rift Valley in the violence that claimed an estimated 1,133 people and uprooted hundreds of thousands from their homes. And when a rumour began circulating in central Kenya that…

By David Onjili What explains the gulf in leadership styles between performing and non-performing governors? A career in civil service. At least this is what one gleans when juxtaposing several counties in the country. The majority of county bosses who have done stints in government as civil servants and technocrats seem to have better leveraged their expertise to better manage their affairs. Professor Kivutha Kibwana and Wycliffe Oparanya of Makueni and Kakamega respectively suffice as examples of prudent management. Others, like Homabay’s Cyprian Awiti and John Nyagarama of Nyamira, are – by design or default – just clueless. Those who…

By Antony Mutunga The digital era, starting in the 70s, has been characterised by technology, which has increased in scope and breadth, creating a fast loop of knowledge turnover in life and the economy. Technology has given us innovations such as artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and the Internet of Things, which continue to transform life. Today, individuals and organizations have access to technological innovations that allow them to yield better results. However, despite the availability of this technology, the requisite skills are not, and companies have struggled to find the right tech talent to help them adapt to changing times.…

By NLM writer The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) marks a momentous milestone for Africa but preliminary findings of the upcoming 2019 African Regional Integration Index, released at Conference of Ministers in Morocco in March, indicate that regional integration in Africa remains low. The Index, known as ARII, was set up to monitor and evaluate the status of economic integration among African countries and provides a basis for member States to track their progress. The findings reveal that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is the most integrated region in terms of trade, with South Africa as the most…

By Emeka-Mayaka Gekara President Uhuru Kenyatta landed in Kigali, Rwanda on March 11, just two days after his host, Paul Kagame, arrived from Dar es Salaam. Kagame’s Tanzania trip was particularly significant, coming at the height of an escalating diplomatic and commercial feud with Uganda which threatens to disrupt economic integration and regional trade. Details of the Dar meeting were not made public but Kagame’s mission could be barely disguised given the timing of the trip – he had gone to secure an alternative for some of Rwanda’s exports, just in case Uganda boycotted. Landlocked Rwanda is served by two…