Author: NLM Correspondent

South Africa may need outside financial assistance to get out of its economic spiral, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said last month, calling for “drastic measures” to revive growth. At the same time, President Jacob Zuma admitted that the economy may not hit the forecast 1.3 per cent growth target set by his government, and urged political allies to discuss policies, including land redistribution, to revamp the economy. He called for “radical solutions” – albeit within the constitution – to redistribute land to the country’s black majority. Both men were speaking at a conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC),…

The newly launched Madaraka Express has earned rave reviews on comfort, scenery, security and speed. Hannah, a passenger who has used it twice already, says that besides being better than the colonial train, it also has a very helpful and friendly crew. “The last thing one should worry about is security… right from the point of boarding. You will have to bear with the security screening, which is akin to what one would normally find at the airports, “she says Popular Nigerian political commentator, Adeola Fayehun, after throwing some shades on the overall construction cost, even admitted that the structures…

Despite the criticism, the new Standard Gauge Railway seems to have been warmly received. In an interview with Chinese news agency Xinhua, Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Claver Gatete said that the project was very successful and thanked the Chinese for their support. He also revealed that discussions were underway with a view of spreading benefit to the entire region. While praising the new system for its efficiency, Al Jazeera was also quick to highlight concern on costs. It cited high level corruption, concerns over the impact on wildlife and a Sh320 billion price tag blamed on poor…

The wheels of justice may turn slowly in Zimbabwe, but in some other parts of the continent they have almost fallen off. In the Central African Republic (CAR), for instance, UN peacekeepers lament their inability to arrest criminals in the town of Kaga Bandoro because there are no holding cells to hold them, never mind courtrooms or judges to give them a fair trial. Zimbabwe and the CAR are extreme examples, but across much of Africa you find courtrooms that are dilapidated and judges who take an age to resolve disputes or sort the innocent from the guilty. Among the…

By Prof. John Harbeson I have steadfastly declined to write about my own country’s foreign policy in the media of another country, because I think it inappropriate to do so. But in a recent op-ed article for the Wall Street Journal, two of the US President’s top advisors have struck a theme that is of profound global significance, and not just for one country’s foreign policy. The President’s National Security Advisor, and chair of the administration’s National Economic Council have opined, “The world is not a ‘global community’ but an arena where nations, non-governmental actors and businesses engage and compete…

It’s universally accepted good practice for arbiters to recuse themselves from proceedings in which their close associations with any of the contesting parties will reasonably open doors to a likelihood of bias. Thoroughly conflicted and open to any influence that will benefit his political career, your average politician cannot be this reasonable man. Neither can a leading contestant in an election in which the arbiter, the IEBC, stands accused of bias. As such, until proven otherwise, their opinion on the ballot paper tender row must be accepted as nothing but hot air. See, concerning the tender, we do not know…

By Isaac Swila The Kenyan Premier League has entered into a marriage of convenience by signing a six-months contract with Free-to-air Sports channel, Bamba Sport, which will see the latter air the top flight matches for the remainder of the season. The six- month contract which takes effect immediately is worth Sh 36.7milion and will see Bamba Sport screen a minimum of two games on its television platform every week. Kenyan Premier League chairman, Ambrose Rachier hailed the partnership saying, “KPL is excited that we finally have a local broadcaster with Free-to-Air presence that has stepped in within a very…

By Rosemary Okumbe In 2016, the Office of the Ombudsman (Commission of Administration of Justice) moved to court to challenge the constitutionality of the 2009 Motor Underwriting Guidelines issued by the Insurance Regulatory Authority. The Ombudsman alleged that the guidelines had stifled competition in the insurance industry by setting minimum rates for premium prices. By introducing the guidelines, IRA had sought to set minimum premium rates that were aimed at protecting the insurance industry, whose stability had been threatened by unsustainable price wars. The upshot was to ensure that strong and stable companies protect the interests of the public. In…

By Francis Monyango When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was being drafted over 50 years ago, no one could have foreseen the impact of some of its provisions on the future. Priority was world peace as the world was just healing from the Second World War. Article 19 of the UDHR, which was later adopted by Kenya in its 2010 Constitution, provided for the right to freedom of expression, which includes “(a) freedom to seek, receive or impart information or ideas; (b) freedom of artistic creativity; and (c) academic freedom and freedom of scientific research.” Since, at the time…

By Washington Ndegea A lot has been done for the insurance industry in advancing its growth, but it seems that a lot still needs to be achieved. Kenya’s insurance growth quotient is at a penetration rate – the total value of insurance premiums as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – of about 3 per cent. This doesn’t compare with a country like South Africa at 13 per cent, thus showing that we are still far behind one of the countries with the highest penetration rates in the world. A look at figures from Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) for…