While the number of female leaders in Kenya has been on the rise over the years, with seven female governors currently in office, women continue to encounter challenges in accessing and retaining leadership positions. In response, women governors joined forces on March 7, 2024, to launch the G7 strategy for Women Governors in Kenya, which aims to empower and provide support to women leaders within the devolved structures. The women’s governor’s caucus has now moved its strategy overseas, launching the G7 strategy in New York following the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) that was also held…
Author: Antony mutunga
Kenya plans to put an end to “triple threat”, which includes new HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) by the end of 2027.
Kenya’s passport ranks as the most powerful in the East African community (EAC) according to the 2024 Henley Passport Index. This follows a move by the government to put an end to visa requirements and shift to electronic travel authorization. Kenya ranked in the 67th position globally. According to the report, Kenyan passport holders are able to travel to 76 destinations out of 227 around the globe visa-free. Among the EAC members, Tanzania had the second most powerful passport at position 69 with holders having access to 73 destinations without a visa or visa on arrival. Uganda was third in…
Last month, the Central Bank of Kenya increased the Central Bank Rate (CBR) from 10.5% to 12.5%, marking its third raise in 2023, in an effort to contain the depreciation of the Kenyan shilling against the dollar which was exerting pressure on prices. As at December 8th 2023, the shilling was trading at Sh153.34 per dollar. Into the new year, the efforts of CBK are yet to bear fruits as the shilling as depreciated further to trade at Sh158.30 as at January 8th 2024. In terms of year to year, the shilling has depreciated at an alarming rate, having exchanged…
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has signed a law ‘nullifying’ an agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia that would have granted the latter a long-sought access to the Red Sea in exchange for being the first to recognize the former as an independent nation. The president of Somalia has deemed the deal illegal and an infringement on Somalia’s sovereignty. The agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which includes leasing a 20-kilometer stretch of land along its coastline (around the port of Berbera, on the Gulf of Aden) to establish a naval base and granting Ethiopia access to commercial maritime services, has recently…
Cigna Healthcare, one of the leading global health insurance companies, extended its footprint in Africa following a new partnership with AAR Insurance Kenya, that aims to transform the insurance landscape in East Africa. This partnership seamlessly blends local expertise with global reach, providing policyholders with unmatched access to healthcare services on a global scale. With this expanded coverage, policyholders will enjoy the flexibility to seek medical treatment within Kenya and tap into a network of world-class healthcare providers across the globe. According to Jerome Droesch, CEO of Cigna International Markets Business for Domestic Health and Health Services during the launch…
Talks about a legally binding international instrument to end global plastic pollution took centre stage during the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) held at the United Nations Office, Nairobi. The session, which is the mid point towards the treaty, is part of a five-meeting schedule that started November 2022 with the aim of addressing the menacing issue of plastic pollution. According to Gustavo Adolfo Meza-Cuadra Velasquez, Chair of the INC, the urgency of addressing plastic pollution should not be overstated. Plastic pollution continues to negatively impact the world as over 400 million tons of plastic are produced…
Africa’s population is expected to reach 1.5 billion people by 2050. With the majority of this population projected to live in urban areas, there is a need to invest and develop African urban areas in order to accommodate the rising population. According to From Millions to Billions: Financing the Development of African Cities report by the African Development Bank (AfDB), it is estimated that African countries will need to invest about 5.5% of their annual GDP in their cities, approximately Sh21.23 trillion ($140 billion) per year. During a forum, held during the Africa Investment Forum 2023 Market Days in Marrakech,…
Kenya has accepted to host the headquarters of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which is expected to enable traders on the continent to settle deals in their respective national currencies. According to President William Ruto, during the African Continental Free Trade Area Conference at Strathmore University on November 7th 2023, Kenya as a leader in the technology space in Africa was asked to host the headquarters of PAPSS, which he gladly accepted. “We have been asked to host the headquarters of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System in Kenya. Because we are leaders in the technology space and…
Financial strain and work pressure are causing unprecedented burnout and stress, and altering mental health and workplace dynamics, in what experts call the ‘Great exhaustion’ phenomenon. Since the Covid pandemic hit, there has been unprecedented focus on health and well-being. However, most Kenyans are reporting overall well-being scores that are well below the global average according to the eighth annual Cigna 360° Global Well-Being Report. Kenya scored 60.6 on the 360°Well-being index, below the worldwide average of 62.9 points. This can be attributed to the fact that Kenya recorded one of the lowest scores in the financial index at 44.3…