Author: NLM Correspondent

By TNLM Writer The International Energy Agency puts the current electrification rate in sub-Saharan Africa at just 43 percent. The inference here is clear: greater action must be taken to achieve the international community’s goals of universal electricity access. Although there are positive developments taking place across the continent, there are also a number of key challenges that beset transformation of the sector. Energy outlook Sub-Saharan Africa currently has a total installed generation capacity of 122 gigawatts (GW), and accounts for 4.5 percent of global primary energy demand (the equivalent of 619 million tonnes of oil) according to the IEA…

A chain of countries winning independence has created a continent cut into pieces by borders, which now need to be overcome. Behind these borders economic thinking focuses only on a national level, which is far too restricted a scope for mass markets to emerge. And along with geographical borders come a number of other barriers, such as tariffs, taxation, customs and regulations. Encouraging growth rates seen over the last 15 years remain too weak to respond to the needs of a market representing 1.3bn people. The demographic potential is there, but a vast gulf exists between the current state of affairs…

Jack Ma’s sermon to entrepreneurs Ali Baba founder Jack Ma last month officially launching the Netpreneur prize in South Africa, a $10 million competition for tech innovators. The prize will “further [Africa’s] digital economy through local entrepreneurship.” The competition will host an annual pitching session, awarding $1 million in prize money over ten years. Ma drew on his own story of trying to launch an e-commerce company on achingly slow bandwidth in China 19 years ago. He recalled trying to register an internet company when the concept itself seemed unfathomable. He sees a similar environment in Africa. IEBC to adopt…

By Carlos Mureithi  and Lee Mwiti Worried about being up to its ears in debt, Kenya’s government wants to hire experts to manage its borrowing, local media has reported. National Treasury data shows Kenya owes China 72% of its bilateral debt. But bilateral debt is just a part of a country’s external debt. Much of Kenya’s borrowing in recent years has been from China, US-based news website Quartz, said in a July 2018 article. But does China account for nearly three-quarters of the money Kenya owes foreign lenders, as Quartz alleged? Quartz said its source was an article in the…

BY MANYIKA KANGAI China is still a developing country and is by no means perfect. However, what it has managed to achieve in about 30 years is very impressive and can provide lessons for African nations. China’s transformation is inspiring and teaches that a nation that truly believes in itself and has the right mind-set can overcome any challenge and achieve greatness. As a proud African who lived, studied and worked in China for five years, I saw many lessons that African nations can learn from China. Let me be clear. I am not suggesting that African nations should copy…

By TNLM Writer Two years ago, when a senior prosecutor walked into a procurement meeting he had no business being in once and asked a junior officer why there wasn’t a seat reserved for him and the junior officer responded, it was with the blasé fed-’upness of someone who was at the very end of his wits. “Who among us would you like to give up their chair so you can sit?” he posed without as much as a glance towards him. “Or would you like to sit on someone?” His eyes were fixed on the table. Most started. A…

Because of his no-nonsense demeanour, you’d think his juniors are terrified of him. But, officers who spoke with the Nairobi Law Monthly think he is a fresh break from the suck-up heads of divisions they are used to. An Interpol officer who had come to have a file verified and signed described the DCI as “the best thing to happen to the DCI in many years. He should have been appointed earlier.” Mohamed Roba, Kinoti’s executive advisor, is urbane and polished. He is the face of the DCI’s work ethic, which is exuded effortlessly. Like his boss, he is meticulous…

In 2006, George Kinoti tendered his resignation when Maj-Gen Mohamed Ali transferred him to Kuria as deputy Division Commander. He was one of the officers targeted in a purge after former DCI Joseph Kamau fell out with the Kibaki government over the Artur brothers’ saga. At the time, Kinoti was head of Kanga Squad, a specialised unit mandated to pursue and eliminate criminal gangs in the city. Ali rejected his resignation and revoked his transfer, deploying him instead to Vigilance House as the officer in charge of Complaints. It was the biggest testament yet as to the man’s institution-like status…

By Kevin Motaroki It is 12:13p.m. on Friday and Mohamed Roba, Kinoti’s suave Executive Advisor who has just ushered me in, tells me he was able to secure just 20 minutes (after a week of shifting schedules around) so could I please make the most of it? His boss would like him to sit in but he requests to go for alāt al-jumu’ah. We talked about his mission at the DCI and the institution’s role in the governance spectrum. He speaks reflectively, persuasively, authoritatively. What is your mission? My assignment is the promise I made when I was sworn in…

BY Kenyatta Otieno The Kenyan sugar industry provides enough fodder for clumsy if well-funded movie. From where I sit, this mercury-and-copper-in-sugar story is utter rubbish; it is all about turf wars. Meanwhile, farmers in the western Kenya sugar belt from Mumias in Kakamega to Awendo in Migori live in destitution set deep in sugar plantations. Celebrated author Robert Kiyosaki in his book Rich dad Poor Dad talks about minding your own business, using fast food chain giant McDonald’s as an example. McDonald’s may not make the best hamburgers in the world, but they own the most valuable intersections and streets…