Three security chiefs in Nigeria were convicted of contempt of court in November 2022 after failing to comply with various court orders. This is the first time that officials at this level have been held to account in this way. The Electronic and Financial Crimes Commission chairman, the inspector general of police and the chief of army staff all ignored orders to rectify errors they made in their duties. The Conversation Africa asked constitutional law expert Abiodun Odusote to weigh in on the implications of flouting court orders. By Abiodun Odusote What is contempt of court and under what circumstances can a public officer be convicted…
Author: NLM Team
While the shift to remote work has negatively impacted the customer experience (CX), leveraging the right technologies and strategy can help you to match increased customer expectations. In the past few years, the world has undergone a significant change, as dealing with the challenges of the pandemic has led to a proliferation of remote and hybrid working models. More pertinently, these models are clearly here to stay, benefiting as they do both workers, who value the flexibility they offer, and companies, that now have a much wider access to talent. One area particularly impacted by the shift to remote work…
By Conrad Onyango A new report shows that value-add factories and public-private partnership are helping small African countries industrialize much faster than their larger peers. The recently released Africa Industrialization Index report by the Africa Development Bank found that these small countries have significantly increased manufacturing activities over the last decade to diversify their economies from agricultural dependence. In addition to assessing economic performance, the index evaluated direct determinants like labour and capital and indirect determinants like macroeconomic stability and existing infrastructure, across 52 African countries. Ten countries were listed in the index as having improved their ranking by five…
By David Wanjala The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has commended the County Government of Makueni’s initiative to invite the graft watchdog to a roundtable on matters of corruption prevention. During a consultative meeting in Wote in November, EACC Commissioner John Ogalo expressed his gratitude to Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr for the bold step. “We welcome this initiative as it demonstrates a commitment on your part to address corruption and unethical practices in the county government,” said Commissioner Ogalo, appreciating the county for its “Whole-of-Government approach” in tackling corruption in the county. This September, Makueni invited the Commission to review…
By Prof Abdiwahab Abdisamad The murder of Arshad Sharif, a well-known Pakistani investigative journalist, struck me personally. Every aspect of the misadventures surrounding the murder appears familiar. Mr. Arshad sought safety in Kenya but left our country in a coffin with a bullet lodged in his skull from police officers no less; this not only turns our police into murderous gangs, but it also damages the image of Kenyans overseas and scares prospective tourists and asylum seekers who will find our nation hostile. At one time, I was a target of that lethal police unit; I was intended to “disappear”…
By Antony Mutunga Massive layoffs in major tech companies have seen many lose their jobs, especially in big corporations such as Meta, Twitter, and Amazon. However, this is not only felt overseas; it has also hit closer home in Kenya. For instance, tech start-ups such as Kune Food, Notify Logistics, and Sendy have closed down due to high operations costs. Agri-tech firm Twiga Foods has also laid off a part of its staff. However, Twiga Foods has defended its decision to lay off 211 of its staff as a part of a shift in its business model. The firm said…
The combination of high interest rates and rising inflation confer a mixed blessing on Kenyan banks. On the one hand, higher loan volumes and lending rates will boost profitability, while on the other, credit risk will rise, pushing up problem loans and loan-loss provisions. Kenyan banks have strong capital, good access to low-cost, stable deposit funding and healthy stocks of liquid assets. These underlying strengths will shield them from the worst effects of loan book deterioration. However, their large holdings of government bonds leave their capital, profitability and liquidity vulnerable to sovereign stress. Banks’ profitability will benefit from strong business…
By Mike Smollan Around the developing world, informal retail continues to be a powerful social force, employing millions of people who might otherwise not have jobs, driving economic activity in spaces that formal business has not penetrated, and providing essential goods and services for the under-served. Giving this sector a deep knowledge of their market – enabling them to stock preferred brands and products, and even offer credit to loyal customers. In Africa, this sector is remarkably resilient, showing adaptability and innovation by adopting new tools and ways of doing business – seen for example in the uptake of mobile internet…
By Kester Kenn Klomegah Under the auspices of the African Union, from 20th November to 25, government representatives, corporate industrialists, and agricultural experts will discuss and re-examine strategic mechanisms for improving two key sectors and interconnection between the economy and industry in Africa. The gathering seeks to design new action plan for industrializing Africa, add value to the continent’s agricultural products and look at possible ways to strengthen and diversify the economy. While this might not be an easy task, it is about time that African leaders make serious and conscious efforts to transform resources to build infrastructure and work…
A synchronised diplomatic offensive by African states, which resulted in a historic deal to set up a “loss and damage” fund, highlights deepening unity and cooperation on the continent. By Seth Onyango With the smash of a hammer, COP27 President Sameh Shoukry announced on November 20 that states had agreed to establish a kitty to compensate vulnerable states for the climate change fallout. At least temporarily, the announcement put to rest weeks of intense political brokering to ram the landmark deal over the line in the face of push-back from the states most responsible for climate damage. The mechanism will…
