Author: NLM Correspondent

The issue of refugees going ‘home’ for a visit and their asylum status then being revoked in the host country isn’t a common problem for African courts, but it’s very much a problem in some other jurisdictions as Turkish refugee to Canada Ismail Kaya has found. By Carmel Rickard In April 2011, Ismail Kaya, a turkish citizen, asked for refugee status in Canada, saying he feared persecution at home because of his ethnicity and his support for an opposition political party; he also feared compulsory military service. That application was successful and in May 2017 he became a permanent resident…

Foreign exchange shortages are plaguing sub-Saharan African economies. Gerald Ndosi, Bank One’s Head of Trade, explains what measures can be taken to overcome US dollar liquidity challenges, promote trade finance, and foster sustainable economic growth in the region International Trade is conducted in the currencies of major economic powers, largely the US dollar, European Union Euro, Japanese Yen, Chinese Yuan, and UK Pound Sterling. Thus, these currencies clearly have a major impact on how trade is conducted across borders globally, including on the African continent. By the same token, it is important to note that a foreign currency shortages occur…

Dire economic times loom after MPs snub pleas for a lean budget Kenyans are facing tough times after Parliament passed the budget proposal to double Value Added Tax on fuel from eight to 16 percent. On Wednesday, the National Assembly passed the controversial proposal in the Finance Bill 2023. 184 MPs voted for the increase in VAT against 84 who opposed the amendment. Members of Parliament allied to the Azimio coalition, who opposed the proposal to increase the VAT on fuel to 16 percent, argued that the move would adversely affect the cost of living. Immediately after the vote, Kenyans…

A trading system backed by the Afreximbank offers African states an opportunity to pivot away from a reliance on dollars, euros and pounds. Seth Onyango, bird story agency Afreximbank is set to expand a local currency trade initiative, the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System or PAPSS, beyond its early adopters in order to provide greater financial autonomy to African traders. This follows the successful pilot of PAPSS, billed as a project to advance intra-continental commerce transactions in local currencies, in nine countries. Afreximbank President Benedict Oramah, speaking at the 30th anniversary of Afreximbank in Accra, announced that the roll-out of…

Sudan has rejected President William Ruto’s selection as the head of a mediation quartet tasked with facilitating peace under the regional bloc, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad). The leader of Sudan’s junta, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accused Kenya of harboring sympathies for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group whose leader, Mohammed Hamdan Daglo Hemedti, was once Al-Burhan’s deputy but is now considered an arch-enemy. In a recent statement, Sudan rejected the Igad mediation schedule, which would have involved Ruto arranging a face-to-face meeting between the two warring generals for the first time. Despite Sudanese protests, Igad has insisted on maintaining…

Tax proposals have elicited deeply-entrenched opinions The National Assembly witnessed a fiery debate as Members of Parliament engaged in a heated discussion over the much-debated Finance Bill, 2023. With a proposed 1.5% housing levy at the forefront, emotions ran high as legislators expressed their divergent views on the matter. Supporters of the Bill, mainly from the ruling Kenya Kwanza Coalition, drummed up support for the Bill, terming it a reflection of the country’s aspirations. Molo MP Kuria Kimani, a member of the Finance Committee, staunchly defended the bill saying the revised version reflected the wishes of Kenyans following spirited public…

Parliament’s Finance Committee proposed a reduction in the tax on digital content creators from 15% to 5% President William Ruto has beat a tactical retreat and ordered a review of a section of the Finance Bill 2023, proposing a reduction in the tax on digital content creators from 15% to 5%. This comes after the Finance Committee of the National Assembly recommended the change, which was subsequently adopted by the members of the Departmental Committee on Finance and Planning. The bill originally suggested a 15% withholding tax on income generated through digital content monetization, significantly higher than the current 5%…

The Parliamentary Committee on Finance, led by Molo MP Kuria Kimani, has announced a resolution to contentious clauses in the Finance Bill 2023 during a retreat in Naivasha. Although the amended clauses were not disclosed, the committee assured the public that all views and petitions had been considered. Over the past few weeks, two major issues have dominated discussions surrounding the bill: the implementation of a three percent housing levy and a 16 percent value-added tax (VAT) on petroleum products, witht he opposition calling for the government to drop those provisions. During the press briefing held in Naivasha, MP Kuria…

Nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege will continue to serve as Deputy Minority Whip in the National Assembly as a court case challenging her ouster unfolds. The High Court in Kiambu issued conservatory orders on May 30, 2023, preventing her replacement until a resolution is found. The petitioners argue that the National Assembly’s Standing Order No. 20(a)(4) does not provide a clear process for removing a Whip or Deputy Whip. While the Minority Party has completed all requirements for the replacement, Speaker Moses Wetangula expressed his predicament in adhering to the court’s orders. “On one hand, the minority party has…

Green Future The World Bank has called for the electrification of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) trains, emphasizing the urgent need to shift from diesel-powered locomotives to electric ones. A report obtained by Nairobi Law from the World Bank titled “Kenya Economic Update, June 2023” highlights the significant environmental and economic benefits of adopting low-carbon logistics in the country’s freight transportation sector. Kenya has been actively working towards maintaining a low-carbon comparative advantage while enhancing its freight logistics efficiency. The completion of the SGR and the revival of other rail lines have played a crucial role in this endeavor. By…