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+{"doc_id": "0172547adce8a1d606c59186d5039643", "text": "Civil servants meet RBZ chief • Call off planned strike • Bonus still coming • Constant pay dates promised\nFelex Share Senior Reporter\nRepresentatives of civil servants on Wednesday met Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya whom they said gave them a “satisfactory” insight on the state of the economy, which made them rule out a premature strike that was being planned.\nMembers of the Apex Council, a body that represents all civil servants in salary negotiations, yesterday said Dr Mangudya assured them that the 2015 bonuses would be paid as promised and pay dates would be constant this new year.\nThis comes as labour lawyers yesterday said the right to strike did not apply to civil servants, adding that Section 65 of Constitution “does not saddle an employer with any legal obligation to pay a striking employee.”\nAlso Read:\nThe experts said civil servants were governed by the Public Service Act.\nGovernment is yet to pay some civil servants after shifting their pay dates from December 29 to next Tuesday.\nThis prompted the unpaid workers, mainly health workers, to threaten a strike beginning today.\nSome members of the uniformed forces were paid before Christmas Day, while teachers got their dues on Tuesday, instead of Monday.\nTeachers Union of Zimbabwe chief executive, Mr Manuel Nyawo, said following their meeting with Dr Mangudya, they had concluded there was no need for a premature industrial action.\n“He (Dr Mangudya) took us through what Government has in its coffers and the reasons for the delays in the payment of salaries,” he said.\n“He assured us that bonuses will be paid and that those owed will get their salaries as announced.”\nCivil Service Commission regulations call for engagement between Government and civil servants and if no solution is found, an independent arbitrator comes into play.\nIf the arbitrator’s decision is disputed by the employees, they can give a 14-day strike notice.\nZimbabwe Teachers Association president, Mr Richard Gundane, said the RBZ chief had created space for dialogue.\n“Dr Mangudya told us that his door was open for us to have an insight of what is going on with them as bankers of Government,” he said.\n“He said it was important that we have an input into the processes that feed into the monetary policy. He said frantic efforts were being made to ensure that commitments are honoured.”\nPublic Service Association president, Mrs Cecelia Alexander, whose constituency is yet to get paid, said the meeting had given the workers an “in-depth understanding of how the economy is performing.”\n“They told us what Government has gone through to make us earn,” she said.\nLabour lawyer, Mr Caleb Mucheche, said while Section 65 (3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe gave employees a right to strike, that privilege could be limited to maintain essential services.\n“Section 86 of the Constitution contain a limitation clause, which can also restrict the right to strike,” he said.\n“In the case of private sector employees, in terms of Section 104 (1) of the Labour Act, a lawful strike is only permissible to resolve disputes of interest and not disputes of right. Section 3 of the Labour Act provides that the Labour Act does not apply to members of the public service thereby meaning that all restrictions on the right to strike in the Labour Act do not apply to public service employees.”\nSome doctors and nurses yesterday threatened to forge ahead with their plan to embark on an illegal strike.\nSaid Mr Mucheche: “For private sector employees, Section 104 (1) of the Labour Act outlaw a strike in a dispute of right such as this one on nonpayment of salaries. This is not the case with public service employees who directly draw their right to strike from section 65 (3) of the Constitution which makes no distinction between a dispute of right and a dispute of interest when it comes to the right to resort to a collective job action. Under the common law, an employer can lawfully withhold paying employees’ salaries.\n“There is a potential grave risk that employees who embark on a strike may lose remuneration for the duration of their strike. A strike is a double edged sword that will result in the employer having a legal right not to pay such striking employee for the period of the strike. It is ironic to strike for non-payment of a salary and then give the employer a legal right not to pay a salary for the period you are on strike.”\nAnother labour expert, Mr Rodgers Matsikidze said: “Our Constitutions gives one, except the security sector, to strike but because our labour laws are yet to be harmonised, the old provisions of the Labour Act are still applicable. The right to strike is therefore subject to restrictions.\n“Normally, the employers use strike as a bargaining weapon because the more effective the strike, the more gains come but they should also note the ‘No work No pay principle’. The employer is not entitled to pay a person who is on strike whether or not the strike is illegal.”\nHe went on: “The right to strike is part of our law but the dispute of right is supposed to be solved through arbitration or the courts. It is always advisable for social partners to have meetings before the pay day and show each other the finances or bank balances rather than ambushing the workers on the eve of the pay date. This erodes the trust.”\nDr Mangudya was not available for a comment yesterday.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/civil-servants-meet-rbz-chief-%E2%80%A2-call-off-planned-strike-%E2%80%A2-bonus-still-coming-%E2%80%A2-constant-pay-dates-promised/"}

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+{"doc_id": "0213b94013e06693d1ee4052783aac89", "text": "President William Ruto’s first year in office has faced many challenges compared to his predecessors Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta, largely because of different leadership styles and structural differences.\nThe President has explained that his government inherited empty coffers as he urged Kenyans to tighten their belts through paying taxes while also causing an uproar after introducing more levies to an overstretched populace in the Finance Act 2023.\nAnalysts say the three presidents have different personalities, Kibaki more professional, astute and direct, Uhuru charming and easy going and irresistible, while Ruto is more aggressive and hands on. A study carried in July showed majority of Kenyans irrespective of their political affiliations perceive the country is headed in the wrong direction.\nThat was a stark contrast to a similar survey done when President Kibaki took power when Kenyans were ranked most optimistic in the world.\nThe main reason given in the omnibus survey done by Tifa Research for the dire outlook, was the ever-increasing cost of living that has created economic hardships for most families.\nPundits and analysts also agree with the report that most of the appointments in Ruto’s government lacked meritocracy because they were based more on loyalty and cronyism.\nProf Gitile Naituli from the School of Management and Development at Multi Media University, says unlike President Kibaki who appointed a Cabinet full of experts in different areas the current administration is loaded with loyalists.\n- Community health workers boost counties universal healthcare bid\n- Inside UON's digital health facility\n- Cabinet okays NHIF scrapping if four bills get MPs nod\n- Ruto to launch UHC on Mashujaa Day\nPolitical analyst Martin Andati also thinks President Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza team should have picked more competent people than going for political allies.\nNominated MP Tabitha Mutemi, a stanch Ruto ally, however defers with the President’s critics, and has argued that the president managed to steady the ship after taking over government when it was in turbulent waters.\nShe has praised the president for successfully launching the hustler fund and kicking off the bottom up economic model as promised, in his first year.\n“He gave farmers subsidised fertiliser among other agricultural support and came up with practical taxation policies, including debt repayment and generally improving the economic well-being of people,” Mutemi told The Standard last month.\nOther pro-Ruto supporters claim he has done much in the education sector where reforms recommended by the Rapahel Munavu-led taskforce released recently are being implemented.\nThey point at the hiring of 50,000 teachers, return of the Junior Secondary School classes to the primary section and implementation of the Competence Based Curriculum as major milestones.\nBut disillusioned critics appear to be the majority and they all think President Ruto has not achieved much compared to President Kibaki or even Uhuru’s administration.\nSome Kenyans interviewed on TV this week as the President marks one year in office, also said they are not happy with the new school fees format for university students and the delayed disbursement of funds.\nOthers like opposition leader Raila Odinga argue that the president should support devolution more through increasing allocation from 15 to 35 per cent. They also said Ruto should stop visiting counties to open already completed projects.\nOther pundits blame the president for getting diverted by noise from the opposition instead of keeping the eye on the ball and delivering on the Kenya Kwanza campaign promises.\n“You don’t have to listen to everything the opposition says, because doing that shows the President has not moved from the campaign mode,” says Andati.\nHe advices the president to borrow from President Kibaki, who ignored Raila’s bickering over the MoU he claimed was not honoured by the Narc government and remained focused on delivering free primary education and infrastructure projects.\nKibaki also pioneered distribution of free fertiliser whose launch was graced the current president in Eldoret in 2009.\nAgriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has told Kenyans that because of President Ruto’s interventions in providing subsidy for farm inputs, the country will harvest over 60 million bags.\n“The government has put in money to subsidise production against consumption and so we are expecting to harvest between 45 and 60 million but the country could hit above 60 million when we combine produce from the short and long rains seasons,” said Linturi.\nShould that happen, the country will have surpassed its past limits of slightly over 40 million bags of maize harvested when the conditions were most ideal and farm inputs were also affordable.\nProf Naituli however argues that subsidising farmers does not necessarily mean subsidising production as advocated by Linturi and the Kenya Kwanza government.\nHe says it is not automatic the so-called subsidised produce will meet the targets or create a surplus as imagined by those in power because of many other production factors.\n“It is true prices of maize will always go down during harvesting but the cycle continues after that and prices will again definitely increase by January going forward as has been the case over many years in the past,” says Naituli.\nIt is also unlikely that prices will dramatically fall in major cities like Nairobi because of other factors like the high cost of fuel and electricity which makes transportation and milling of the corn expensive.\nHis advice is that the President should have stuck to his guns of refusing to subsidise anything and instead wage a war against all cartels in the agricultural inputs sector.\nCorruption networks in the inputs sector were also rampant during President Kibaki and Uhuru’s time when police arrested many people repackaging fertiliser distributed by the National Cereals and Produce Board.\nThe analysts however say during Kibaki’s time there were lesser imports of goods because he emphasized on local manufacturing, unlike today when nearly everything is coming from China and other places.\nSpeaking to The Standard recently, Narc chairperson Charity Ngilu pointed out that manufacturing has died because of cheap imports leading to the collapse of many factories.\n“Do you see any smoke in industrial area these days?” Asked Ngilu adding that the chimneys stopped emitting due to unfair competition from cheap and untaxed imports.\n“Most of those factories were turned in go-downs now used to store the cheap imports. That is the problem Azimio wanted to address in its manifesto,” said Ngilu in an interview.\nProf Naituli says Kibaki did well because he knew bringing imports amounts to exporting labour and so it is the foreign manufacturers who create employment in their countries.\nPresident Ruto said last year Kenya was not going to subsidise fuel again and would instead engage in country to country purchasing of oil products in local currency instead of US dollars.\nKenya Kwanza politicians claimed the fuel subsidy introduced by Uhuru’s Jubilee administration was for the benefit of petrol stations owned by politicians.\nThe government has however gone back to the same old practice after silently abandoning the much touted government to government contracts that promised a lot but delivered little.\nIn June, ODM’s John Mbadi said figures at the time indicated the current government engaged in heavy borrowing immediately after taking power despite claiming that it would stop going for loans.\n“When Ruto came into power, Kenya’s debt stock was Sh8.7 trillion on September 30, 2022, and Sh9.39 trillion on March 31, 2023, a difference of Sh689 billion.\n“When Uhuru was in power, the debt stock as of September 2021 was Sh7.99 trillion, and as of March 31, the stock was Sh8.4trillion, with a difference of Sh405 billion. Who is borrowing more?” asked Mbadi in June.\nSo how does the Kibaki administrations compare with Ruto’s in their first year performance?\nProf Naituli thinks the proposed increment of salaries for low cadre civil servants by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission will not help in reducing inflation.\nHe says unlike Kibaki who maintained public servant salaries at the same rate because of controlled inflation the cost of living is currently getting out reach for ordinary Kenyans.\n“Increasing salary is useless when inflation shoots up at an alarming rate because the money will not be adequate for even the very basic of necessities,” he says.\nCentre for Multi-Party Democracy (CMD) Executive Director Franklin Mukwanja has also described Ruto’s handling of politics as one driven by realities of the 2010 Constitution.\nWhile Kibaki wasn’t seen to have interfered with other political parties by poaching MPs to support his agenda, Mukwanja thinks it could also be because he served when there was no clear separation of powers.\n“We have since 2013 seen that the Uhuru and Ruto styles of leadership is to capture the legislature and that possibly is because of the increased powers of that arm of government,” says Mukwanja.\nAlthough President Ruto’s critics think he should have ignored the politics mounted by Azimio leaders, others argue that he can only do so at his own peril.\nThey say President Kibaki paid dearly in 2007 after allowing Raila to create a hostile environment against his government for four years, making his re-election a herculean task.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001481347/rutos-scorecard-as-compared-to-kibaki-uhuru-a-year-into-the-job"}

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+{"doc_id": "0749bc2b9b233b63a6d4b1b3ec2c9a0d", "text": "New plans by the State to regulate destination charges afresh will be damaging to the Kenyan economy, the Kenya Ships Agents Association (KSAA) has said.\nIn a letter to Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and his Maritime Affairs counterpart Salim Mvurya dated October 30 this year, KSAA said over-regulation will discourage investments since it will make Mombasa Port less competitive\nKSAA CEO Juma Tellah said highly regulated destination charges will lead to an increase in freight rates which will make the port more expensive to use.\n“Freight rates are collected internationally and therefore increasing them will not benefit the Kenyan economy. At present, destination charges are paid to companies incorporated in Kenya that pay Kenyan taxes and employ Kenyan people,” said Mr Tellah.\nHe argued that if the destination charge component is paid abroad, instead of how it is currently done with local currency, it will worsen the exchange rate.\nKSAA has now proposed that the government commissions an independent international consultancy to compare the competitiveness of Mombasa Port and other ports.\n“If there is price control in the shipping industry, there is fear it will spread to other industries,” Tellah opined.\nKSAA has proposed that shipping lines continue to keep money in Kenya rather than paying increased freight rates outside the country.\n“Since shipping lines will need to cover their costs and to pay agents to provide a service, they will need to increase freight,” he noted.\nTellah noted that shipping line charges are only one component of the supply chain. He added that factors such as distance and time to destination, inland road transport fees, customs clearance procedures, border controls as well as port efficiency affect Mombasa Port competitiveness.\n“Shipping lines contribute to the Kenyan economy and should be supported. The shipping industry is a major employer in Kenya,” he said.\nHe maintained that the objective of the shipping lines is to improve efficiency which reduces the cost to the end user - that is the Kenyan importer and exporter.\nTellah observed that when ships are delayed at the port, they can be charged between $30,000 (Sh4.2 million) and $100,000 (Sh14 million) a day in operating fees.\nKSAA opposed the ongoing push by the Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa) to reduce shipping line service charges.\nKifwa has accused the shipping lines of collecting many charges at the port of Mombasa, therefore reducing the competitiveness of the facility.\nKifwa national chairman Roy Mwanthi said the charges included equipment management fee, ex-border charge, late documentation charge per the bill of lading, container clearing charge, and logistics fees.\nAccording to Mr Mwanthi, the charges amount to an additional $500 (about Sh70,000) per consignment and contribute to the high costs of doing business at the port.\nMwanthi recently petitioned Mr Murkomen and Mr Mvurya to address the high cost of doing business at the port following the increase in shipping charges.\n“In the last three years, shipping lines have been introducing additional charges that have increased the cost of doing business at Mombasa port thus lowering the stature of our port, especially for the transit market that has migrated to the Port of Dar es Salaam,” Mwanthi wrote.\nHe noted that the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (Tasac), which is the equivalent of Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), stopped the introduction of any further charges by shipping lines.\nAccording to Mwanthi, sometimes shipping lines demand up to $30,000 (Sh4.2 million) as replacement value for transit containers to DR Congo and South Sudan.\nHe said the shipping lines have also been demanding between $10,000 (Sh1.4 million) and $20,000 (Sh2.8 million) from clearing companies as a deposit for the container revolving fund.\nKSAA has countered Kifwa’s sentiments by arguing that the push comes at a time Kifwa is trying to introduce a tariff that will lead to increased fees for Kenyan importers and exporters. KSAA said that the move behind this is to increase their own profits rather than to benefit the Kenyan economy.\nThis is in reference to a recent announcement by Kifwa that clearing costs will go up by December 1 this year to cushion agents against inflation.\nMwanthi had said that goods handled by air, sea, or land will attract a minimum of Sh5,000 for either 20 or 40-foot container, adding that some unscrupulous clearing agents were under-cutting, charging as low as Sh3,000.\nA 20-foot container will cost a minimum of Sh15,000, while a 40-foot container will attract a minimum charge of Sh25,000 or 1.5 per cent of the total cost, insurance, and freight (CIF).\nClearing and forwarding agents will introduce fees of $100 (Sh14,987.99) for 20-feet containers and $150 (Sh22,481.99) for 40-feet containers for export goods.\nTransit charges will be as follows: $100 (Sh14,987.99) for 20-foot containers and $200 (Sh29,975.39) for 40-foot containers.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/shipping-logistics/article/2001484523/punitive-destination-charges-will-kill-industry-shippers-warn"}

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+{"doc_id": "07e6968fa47d7dce430658869ad30099", "text": "The success of the private equity (PE) fund model is based mainly on the fund managers’ ability to spot and acquire businesses that provide real solutions to felt society’s needs and problems.\nWhere the company has developed superior solutions to these needs and has demonstrated a track record of consistently solving them, the company becomes a desirable target for the fund.\nThe PE manager will identify and package a proposition to the founders or promoters of the target company to bring on board missing ingredients through long-term capital, management support and such value-creation additives to significantly grow the target before an eventual sales or exit of the PE fund.\nMost PE funds are not actively involved in running their investee companies, and support is usually through board representation and technical assistance. Therefore, the PE fund relies heavily on existing management to deliver on the envisaged growth targets.\nStill, in some cases, PE will hire and incentivise a new team that can achieve the ambitious goals of growing value rapidly before exiting the company. A problem arises where the investee company, usually an owner-managed entity, has a key man risk.\nThis risk is the possible loss of value in a situation where a founder, a CEO or a staff member is so crucial to the company that their exit would spell doom to its continued success or existence. Identifying and mitigating these risks at the initial stages of a business acquisition is possible, but this is one risk that the PE funds tend to overlook or underestimate.\nIn the excitement of closing a deal, parties need to be more critical of the company’s history and how entrenched the founders are in the fabric of the entity. Sometimes, it is almost impossible to separate the company from the founder, and parties only fully grasp the extent of dependency on the founder or critical staff once it is too late.\nSuppliers, customers, key staff, and bankers could have had unwritten loyalty to the founders, and the company may not be the same without these key individuals.\nThis risk is crucial to a PE fund whose end goal is a successful exit to another fund, preferably a larger one, to help grow the business to even greater heights. Key man risk can negatively affect the valuation of the business where the business is too dependent on key persons. It is analogous to acquiring assets that check in the morning and walking away at the close of the day.\nSmall professional practices, sole proprietorships, and boutique firms are typical examples of high key man risks where the firm’s services cannot be effectively separated from the founder. Such firms also bear the names of the founders or their families.\nThe funders are usually the spokespersons and the public face of the business. To reduce this risk, the founder must deliberately open the business, let other people be associated with the firm and lessen any perception that the business cannot survive or thrive without the founder. This deliberate effort takes time but is necessary if the business is to become an attractive PE candidate.\nEffective mitigation starts with identifying the presence of key man risk and the specific persons in the business and assessing the extent of the dependency on the person or persons. Immediate mitigation to risk includes open and honest negotiation with the key person to stay post-acquisition in exchange for equity options that vest over time, thus encouraging a more extended stay.\nThis solution can be combined with performance-based pay and bonuses to align long-term interests. Secondly, conscious succession planning, leadership training, and development programs for potential successors to the key person are crucial mitigations.\nThirdly, proper documentation of processes and procedures can also eliminate dependence on key individuals and reduce the chaos witnessed when vital and sensitive information and knowledge is carried in the heads of key individuals.\nIn addition, the company could take out a key-man insurance cover to compensate the PE fund if the loss crystallises through the unexpected exit or demise of the key man. Identifying the risk should be a continuous exercise as the risk can emerge at any stage in the business’s life.\nThe writer is the Investment Manager at TransCentury", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/opinion/article/2001486680/managing-the-key-man-risk-in-private-equity-transactions"}

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+{"doc_id": "0a258218349040f50efd79336bece328", "text": "Azimio leader Raila Odinga yesterday opened a legal battle with the Kenya Kwanza administration over political party funds.\nRaila, through the ODM party, asked the High Court to suspend the implementation of the supplementary budget following a Sh1.2 billion cut of the political party entitlement.\nLawyer Jackson Awele argued that the allocation in the supplementary budget was below the Sh6 billion allocated to political parties during the 2023-2024 financial year.\nAccording to the lawyer, a total of Sh1.2 billion is missing from the allocation in the supplementary budget.\nAwele claimed that the Kenya Kwanza regime intends to cripple multi-party democracy by starving main opposition parties of funds.\n“There is plausible cause to believe that the respondents’ actions are a well calculated, deliberate, surreptitious collateral attack on multi-party democracy; the fundamental pillar under-girding the Republican, sovereign democratic state that the Constitution declares Kenya to be,” he said.\nIn 2019 Court of Appeal ordered the government to allocate at least 0.3 per cent of the national budget to political parties.\nEach party gets funds according to the number of MPs it has in Parliament.\nAwele said that on November 23, President William Ruto assented into law the Supplementary Appropriation Act (no 3), 2023, paving way for the use of the funds allocated.\nHowever, the government allegedly amended the law and slashed the amount.\nThe Orange party argued that the Registrar of Political Parties confirmed that the reductions violate the law.\nODM wants the court to freeze the implementation of the supplementary budget.\nIn the alternative, it wants the court to order the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndungú to release the full entitlement.\n“The net effect of these reductions is that the petitioner or applicant, a political party with grassroots offices, several employees, member programmes and work plans across the country has, without notice and in violation of its legitimate expectations in law been deprived of over Sh1.2 billion of much-needed funds thereby gravely compromising its ability to effectively discharge its mandate and or run its programmes,” stated Awele.\nThe lawyer said that a cursory review of the law signed by President Ruto shows the list of the offices or persons consulted and excluded political parties and members of the public.\nThe lawyer argued that public participation was a cosmetic public relations exercise designed to create the facade of compliance.\n“Taken together with the colossal adverse variation to the appropriated funds to the political party’s fund, all qualifying political parties and their members and members of the public at large needed to be given a meaningful opportunity to appreciate and comment on the same,” he said.\nODM Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen said that opposition parties will bear the greatest brunt and there is real danger of Kenya relapsing to autocracy or monocracy.\n“The petitioner pleads that in passing the impugned Act, the National Assembly and the President failed in their mandate under Articles 10, 93, 94 and 139 to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution and in particular to promote and defend the edict of multipartyism and the rule of law,” said Ong’wen.\nODM is also asking the court to find that the National Assembly cannot adversely vary already appropriated funds through a supplementary appropriations law.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001486765/raila-ruto-lock-horns-over-sh6-billion-political-partys-fund"}

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+{"doc_id": "0ab0966e71a6bf13b050b479ec9288f1", "text": "What you need to know:\n- The signs have been on the wall. At the local government elections of 2021, ANC’s support fell below 50 percent of the total vote.\n- In a recent study, only 39 percent of likely voters said they were willing to give the ANC another chance.\n- Expected to grow to around the mid-teens, perhaps 15 to 16 percent, in the next elections, Malema’s EFF gives a much-weakened ANC a singular possible ally that could save it from being tossed aside after decades in power, as has happened to so many African liberation movements elsewhere.\nSouth Africa’s political scene is expected to heat up these coming weeks ahead of the polls that could determine the fate of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).\nIn fact, the heat started months earlier. Late last year, 11 parties opposed to the 30-year rule of the African National Congress (ANC) agreed that they would combine their collective support in the forthcoming national elections to oust the ‘party of Nelson Mandela’.\nWith the official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) playing a leading role, the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) was formed as an expedient between parties, which often disagree on policy. This time, they all said it was ‘essential’ for the rectification of South Africa’s much-damaged economy – the singular agreed objective of this voting coalition being the removal of the ANC from power.\nSince historic highs of support through the 1990s and into the first decade of this century at over two-thirds of the vote, the ANC initially retained national and provincial hegemony, controlling all major levers of power and all nine provinces. But it has suffered corruption scandals and become gradually detached from the masses’ needs.\nThe signs have been on the wall. At the local government elections of 2021, ANC’s support fell below 50 percent of the total vote. Now the question is which of the opposition movements will provide a new political home for the disenchanted voters.\nThe formation of the Multi-Party Charter has changed that calculus, according to a new poll.\nIn a recent study, David Everatt, Professor of Urban Governance at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, found that of likely voters, only 39 percent said they were willing to give the ANC another chance.\nMore worrying for President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ANC colleagues is that of the 9,000 statistically-selected likely voters, 38 percent said they would support the new MPC.\nUsually held around end of April, to coincide with the historic 1994 poll in which people of all races were allowed to vote for the first time in this country, the provincial and national polls could be delayed as late as the end of August, depending on President Ramaphosa’s decision.\nThat delays may give more time for the ANC to show some progress against historically high unemployment levels, pervasive poverty, persistent power outages which have now become part of life, and improved ‘service delivery’, as well as meaningful action against corruption – all sore points for many South Africans.\nBut a delay in the polling date by a few months is unlikely to resolve the long-standing issues over which the ANC has had the power to take action, but which have only become worse with time, rather than better.\nLast year, for example, in a bid to bring economically damaging daily power outages to an end, Ramaphosa appointed an electricity minister whose role was to ensure power flowing reliably again. Those outages have continued, albeit at a slightly reduced rate.\nANC, however, may have a way out. That is if it swallows the pride into some convenient coalition with the hard left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led by firebrand Julius Malema.\nFormed as a breakaway from the ANC in 2013, the EFF showed some initial rapid gains, reaching 10.3 percent support in the 2021 local government elections, and is expected to grow to around the mid-teens, perhaps 15 to 16 percent, in the next elections.\nThis gives a much-weakened ANC a singular possible ally that could save it from being tossed aside after decades in power, as has happened to so many African liberation movements elsewhere.\nBut being the ‘king-maker’, a role the EFF has played previously in several cities and towns, will come at a high price for the ANC and is very unlikely to last long.\nFor one thing, the policies of the ANC and the EFF are fundamentally different, the ANC oscillating, issue-dependent, between ‘soft socialist’ policies on public health and other key services to citizens, and a more hardline stance of promoting by law those previously the victims of race-based oppression under apartheid.\nThe EFF, meanwhile, is overtly ‘Marxist-Leninist’, of the hardest kind.\nMalema previously told the Nation, in one of his most in-depth interview of his political career, that “when the EFF comes to power, not if it does”, it will nationalise nearly everything.\nThis includes the Reserve Bank and all other commercial banks, all commercial farms, all or nearly all businesses especially major sectoral players, all mines and mining, and probably much private property, to be owned collectively by the state, or in the case of farms and residential properties seized, to be distributed by the state to those who have nothing.\nMalema is an admirer of Zimbabwe’s deceased former “revolutionary leader” Robert Mugabe and his ‘land grab’ of the early 2000s which led to the collapse of the Zimbabwe economy, a disaster from which that country has not yet begun to recover.\nIn South Africa, he told the Nation, that picture would not be repeated, but even if it was, to some degree, that would still be better than the current situation where the negative heritage for the majority – after three centuries of colonialism and nearly five decades of highly-focused racist oppression – had yet to be substantively undone.\nAsked if he and the EFF would work with the ANC, Malema said that his party would “work with anyone”, to get the country to where he wanted it. EFF wants a fully Marxist state wherein the state itself runs and owns, in effect, everything.\nA compact between the ANC and the EFF, as may seem a possibility – has been tried and failed repeatedly before at metro and local government levels. Their relations, in fact, could strain, not improve in this election, some observers argue.\nThis opinion poll is only an indicator of what might be going on in the potential electorate, as admitted by the authors of the Wits poll showing ANC support sliding below even the 40 percent level.\nThe pollster says it conducted the study rigorously and participants were questioned in their own home language: South Africa having 11 spoken languages and international sign language recognised officially.\nThis means that the interviewers could delve into nuances and subtleties usually lost in generic pollster questions.\nWhat they found was highly unexpected and running against perceive trends, as shown by ongoing citizen protests over poor or non-existent services supposed to be delivered by government at various levels. Those included electricity supply and fresh water, through sewage and waste removal, policing in high crime areas and many other co-travelling issues.\nRather than the expected boycott to protest bad service, it appears that citizens have been galvanised by a real alternative to voting for a party which they perceive to be ‘the least bad’, and rather for a loose coalition which broadly represents what they want to see from their government.\nMany of those surveyed had not previously heard of the new anti-ANC coalition of parties, the MPC – but even among these people, there was a high level of interest in this new feature of the political playing field.\nAnd a previously ‘open’ question, whether the EFF would join with the other parties opposing the ANC, has been ruled out with Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen saying there was “no possibility” of the EFF joining the anti-ANC grouping. That is because the EFF’s seven-pillar policy platform was fundamentally at odds with those of the 11 participating parties, he argued.\nANC’s own survey from earlier last year showed that it might expect 48 percent support at the polls. It may be driven by circumstance to rely for its retention of power on the EFF – one of its harshest critics.\nHow such a volatile coalition, as may be formed by a weakened ANC and a rampant EFF, might work remains to be seen.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/africa/news/south-africa-s-anc-faces-a-nightmare-possibility-a-coalition-with-julius-malema-s-eff-4517806"}

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+{"doc_id": "0ace12ffbc9b0434ea0ed94847226d01", "text": "President William Ruto's 10 months in office have been full of upheavals: An opposition rejecting to recognize him as president. Chaotic anti-government demonstrations. Banditry in the north. An economy in bad shape. A predecessor is sympathetic to the opposition's cause.\nIt was a trial by fire. Ruto took the helm of a country mismanaged for so long that upon his arrival, warning lights were blinking red.\nThe debt crisis was so severe that he had to temporarily postpone some civil servants' salaries. The shilling was (and still is) losing ground to the dollar. The cost-of-living crisis -- now exacerbated by new tax measures that walloped employees' basic salary and imposed a 1.5 percent housing tax and raised fuel's value added tax to 16 per cent, up from 8 per cent -- showed little signs of abating.\nPresident Ruto's initial efforts to clean up his predecessor's mess was as hard a task as that of Hercules, the man who after 30 years cleaned King Augeas's stables. For example, there is fear that individuals may have indeed pocketed more than Sh4 trillion of the country's Sh9.39 trillion debt (as of March this year). In such a condition, you would expect opposition leader Raila Odinga to be rubbing his hands in glee, as the man he refused to accept his election victory or recognize his presidency ran into problems right out of the gate. The new corruption scandals that have hit Ruto's nascent government should have added to Raila's schadenfreude.\nBut, Raila is neither overjoyed, nor is he nearer to his goal of delegitimizing Ruto's rule. Worse, President Ruto, who so far hasn't buckled under the weight of the country's myriad crises, is plowing ahead with his agenda, The Plan. Why is Raila, even after going as far as threatening to split the country in two, so unsuccessful to have his way and Ruto still so lucky to stand his ground and possibly set to win?\nThe answer could lie in the difference between Ruto's survival strategy that combined both offensive and defensive strategies and Raila's reactive tactics that garnered more media coverage, but did little to compel Ruto to share power as the last two former presidents did. After months of Raila-led protestations, Ruto isn't only standing, he has a real chance of once again outsmarting the opposition, even as problems pile up nationally. Into his first year now, Ruto still has four more years on his side to correct things.\nAlready, there's a sense of relief, if shaky, in Ruto's camp that the best is yet to come.In recent months, Ruto has been more relaxed in his public appearances, particularly more confident than he was a couple of months ago when he wore an angular look and pinched face. He recently admitted that he had gone back into the gym after two years of rigorous election campaigns disrupted his timetable.\n- Community health workers boost counties universal healthcare bid\n- Inside UON's digital health facility\n- Cabinet okays NHIF scrapping if four bills get MPs nod\n- Ruto to launch UHC on Mashujaa Day\nNew allies\nPolitically, Ruto is winning new allies, as many opposition members have decamped to his side. Internationally, he's made waves with his anti-imperial, pan-African speeches, the latest being his Friday address on climate change and financing at the Champs de Mars, Paris, France that was interrupted by a sustained eruption of applause from his audience before he could even finish his greetings.\nAt least to his supporters, the scathing lead stories in national newspapers and on TV stations are good omens that Ruto is trying to reform a system that has been badly broken by his predecessor and made worse by outside forces, such as the war in Ukraine that triggered global food crisis. There's some truth to this argument. The rising cost-of-living pain, for instance, is not limited to Kenya.\nIn the UK, prices are rising so high that the government has recently broached food price caps. In France, protesters, who have adopted Azimio supporters' tactics and put saucepans on their heads, have for months been marching through Paris's streets to express their opposition to the government's plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. In the US, the Biden administration has narrowly survived a devastating default after the opposition, the Republican Party, frustrated the White House's bid to raise the country's debt ceiling.\nThis turbulent world is making little of Raila's threats for mass actions, a stark contrast to the days when world affairs were relatively calm and Raila's protests captivated the world and hit international headlines. To Ruto's supporters, the new government's reform agenda is being stymied by vested interests, whose concerns are mainly dictated by selfish pursuits and personal vendetta than by the betterment of a lot of Kenyans. In fact, a victory for Raila would have meant more influence for the officials of the former administration and a cover-up for their misdeeds.\nPresident Ruto came to office cognizant that his biggest challenge to his rule will come from former friends turned foes, his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila, the opposition leader known for nagging those who beat him in elections. To minimize their threats, he courted as many opposition politicians - both elected and unelected - from every corner of the country.\nAnti-Ruto opposition\nThat strategy paid off in a big way, as the president's party now enjoys a decent majority in Parliament, calling into question the survival of the anti-Ruto opposition, already an amalgam of over two dozen parties, whose raison d'etre largely dissipated after the election loss.\nThe campaign to delegitimize Ruto's rule, which is running on fumes now, was - right from the off - a mare's nest. The reactive strategy was a set of confused actions, whose effectiveness was vitiated by a lack of well-articulated end game, inconsistency and poor timing and planning. Raila's anti-Ruto agenda, it seems, is being determined by the daily policies of the Ruto administration. For the last 10 months, Raila has been reacting to one crisis after another: The August election loss, the attack on Kenyatta family's farm, the cannibalization of the opposition, the Mungiki, and now the Finance Bill.\nAll but two of them found their way into the ever-changing demands of Raila's irreducible minimums, raising questions about Raila's real strategy, if any, in confronting the ever more live wire Ruto. With no clarity on the end game of his anti-Ruto crusade, Raila's agitation now seems to have fallen into some sort of a trap that the new administration would be very much happy to see him entangle in day in, day out. Better clarity would have been good for Raila's political capital, messaging and retention of the goodwill of his supporters. He could barely afford to fritter away his precious time on chasing his tail, when the opposition is already hemorrhaging as a result of the no real war, no real peace state of affairs.\nAs stressful as Raila's activism is for the new administration, Ruto is muddling through. To Ruto's relief, the current war of attrition between him and Raila is likely to further weaken Raila politically more than it would hurt Ruto, an incumbent with the levers of power. Raila's rejection of Ruto's legitimacy has already become an old story, as it was overtaken by reality. Kenyans and the international community have accepted Ruto's presidency.\nRaila's early missteps have helped solidify Ruto's rule. He almost disappeared from the national arena for months. The shock victory was so devastating that it appeared to have beaten the hell out of Raila.\nAccepted loss\nAt one time, many Kenyans assumed that Raila had accepted his loss after the country's Supreme Court rejected the soundness of his petition calling for the annulment of Ruto's victory.\nDuring the lull, Ruto - far from being heady with victory - worked his guts out, seducing opposition members to ward off any potential onslaught from Raila and his allies. He succeeded in eating into the support base of the opposition, persuading its lawmakers to close ranks with his ruling coalition, Kenya Kwanza. When on December 7, Raila reappeared to hold his first public engagement with his supporters, it was a flop of sorts, as he only attracted hundreds of people, far lower than the tens of thousands he used to pull in the past on short notice (six months later, Raila is threatening to return to the same venue, Kamukunji Grounds, for the same reason, public consultations).\nEven when the opposition's anti-Ruto strategy picked up momentum months after elections, Azimo's message was incoherent and hardly resonated with the public. It had no wide support even in areas where some of the opposition leaders hail from. Worse still, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, the chairman of Azimio, initially steered clear of publicly throwing his support behind his party's agitation at the right time. And when he eventually did, he did it just because Ruto-allied officials had seized control of his Jubilee's leadership.\nWhile it's too early to give a conclusive appraisal of the Ruto-Raila battle in less than a year, the odds are Raila will - if he continues his anti-Ruto crusade - likely be weakened further, as the head of state is unlikely to take the opposition leader lying down.\nRuto has already made inroads into some constituent parties of the Azimio coalition, and if pushed to the wall, he could be unsparing and make quick work of Raila's ODM, as he did to Jubilee, and by 2027 there could be no more ODM to talk about. Just a few months ago, Ruto quipped that Raila may not even get agents to look after his votes in the next election.\nRuto's success can't only be attributed to pure luck. He was indeed super-proactive - and that is why a lot seems to be going on for him now, to the annoyance of the opposition group, Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Party. Ruto has, for instance, restructured the security sector and, in the process, headed off any threat of a mutiny or coup by any disgruntled officers or members of the former administration, a fear that was first expressed by one of Ruto's aides earlier this year.\n'Destabilising the government'\nLast February, Denis Itumbi, an aide to Ruto and Deputy Cabinet Secretary nominee, tweeted that there was a meeting by former government officials, whose agenda was to sponsor 'distraction and general destabilisation of government'. The attendees, he wrote, agreed to raise Sh15 billion to sponsor opposition rallies \"to spur resistance over payment of tax, ensure the cost of living remains high and activate phase two of protests, which is expected to lead to a citizen revolution.\"\n\"Pay generous stipends to Government officials in strategic positions so as to undermine (Ruto's) government programmes and frustrate the new plans,\" read part of Itumbi's revelation.\nRaila can't be blamed for the improving fortunes of Ruto, or for not trying. He did his best under the circumstances. He went hammer and tongs at Ruto, declaring his government illegitimate and saying that he will not recognize him as the country's president. He bounced back fairly quickly from the depths of despair that he had sunk into after the election loss and managed to bring tens of thousands of people onto the streets in Nairobi, Kisumu and several towns in the western region, demonstrations that eventually compelled Ruto to propose the bipartisan talks (now-faltering) to open discussions on the reconstitution of the electoral body.\nBut Raila - now at 78 - has less stamina and tenacity to continue headlining energy-sapping protests that have so far done more harm to ordinary citizens, businesses and the image of the country than force Ruto to yield any meaningful ground to the opposition. Much as he would have liked to unseat Ruto, Raila hardly wants to risk the possibility of pushing the country over the cliff, as he did in 2007, nor does he desire to have a date with the International Criminal Court prosecutor for causing bloodbath in the country. Raila, whose contribution to the citizens' fight for multi-party democracy is still well respected nationally, doesn't seem to want to live with the ignominy of becoming the man who destabilized the country he sacrificed so much for.\nIf Raila Amolo Odinga had a fair chance of becoming Kenya's president in August, he now knows that he has almost zero chance of toppling Ruto, even if his opposition to the current administration stretches into the next election. His intransigence and rejection of Ruto's presidency could only drive him away from the more urgent task on hand: Reorganizing the opposition and then keeping it united until the next election. That realistic calculation may have influenced Raila's decision to de-escalate the tension and accept Ruto's outreach last April. Any hope by Raila supporters that their hero will go all-in was further dashed after a neighbour, Sudan, exploded into street battles in its capital, Khartoum, after two rival generals failed to resolve their differences amicably.\nSuch a cautious approach is a win for President Ruto. The on-off bipartisan talks will likely drag on for some time and buy Ruto more time to further reinforce his authority before the August harvest hits markets to ease the country's cost-of-living crisis, something that will help chip away at one of Raila's potent items in his laundry list of demands.\nIn fact, the Raila crisis has served President Ruto pretty well. The new head of state has needed a peg on which to hang his early blunders. Now, he's handily blaming the economic mess he's grappling with on Raila's ties with the former government, popularly referred to as the \"handshake regime.\" Ruto's allies have gone further and demonized the former president, accusing him of financing destructive riots that threatened to destabilize the country. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has recently accused Uhuru, of \"setting young people, innocent young people, against security apparatus,\" in reference to the alleged resurgence of the proscribed Mungiki sect.\nRaila's agitation has also helped Ruto in another way: Many Kenyans saw the president's purging of Uhuru allies from the government as a justifiable surgery. Ruto - that line of thinking goes - is in a fight with individuals who wanted him toppled. The lack of an international support for the opposition's efforts to delegitimize Ruto has angered Raila and his allies, who accused an unnamed foreign country of being behind Ruto's victory.\n\"We believe that this election was stolen, was rigged by UDA (United Democratic Alliance), by the IEBC in cahoots with some international interest that I don't want to name (it) here today. We believe that very strongly and we have evidence for that,\" Azimio spokesperson Prof. Makau Mutua, told Citizen's JKL show.\nIn a changing world, where African countries are caught in the ideological and economic war between the West and the East, particularly China and Russia, Ruto's ascent has pushed Kenya's foreign policy toward the West, especially toward the European Union and the US, while at the same time chilling ties to China and, to a lesser extent, to the former colonizer, Britain. In a geopolitical viewpoint, the Ruto-Raila contest last August was a competition between their international friends, as each side tried to have its man carry the day. The post-election antagonism still seems to reflect that dynamic.\nIn realpolitik, though, prolonging the anti-Ruto agitation serves Raila just fine, regardless of whether a foreign country feeling let down by Ruto's win supported him or not. For Raila, the more he is in the national limelight, the more relevant he will be, even if his anti-government crusade come to naught. Keeping his name and cause in the national discourse was sufficient enough to preserve his stature as the country's foremost opposition leader.\nBeing a persistent nuisance could have an added advantage for Raila in the long run: It can help threaten Ruto's second term chance if a rematch between the two ever takes place.For example, if Raila persists in his politicking and resists any temptations to strike a political deal, the anti-Ruto agitation would give him a leg up and a hard fight for Ruto in 2027.\nIn any re-election bid, Ruto is likely to be up against the full force of his predecessor and his team. Uhuru and Co. suspect that they would be harassed - and possibly prosecuted - should Ruto win a second term, which will free him from any political baggage.\nRaila's apparent acceptance to call off the bi-weekly demonstrations to give dialogue a chance could have been a strategic-cum-personal tactic to foil the ongoing anti-Raila onslaught by a new crop of politicians in his backyard that is allegedly being egged on by Ruto's party, Kenya Kwanza.\nRaila has no desire to lose everything. If he lost the presidency to Ruto, that shouldn't result in a post-Raila era in Luo land or in Kenya at large. He knows that an all-or-nothing strategy could jeopardize any dream to have one last shot at the 2027 presidential race. A Raila who's busy with his own survival is good for Ruto and his 2027 aspiration. It will offer him a breathing space to try to cure the malaise he inherited from his predecessor - and possibly an other opportunity to romp to victory in the next election cycle.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001475918/ruto-gets-into-his-stride-as-raila-stumbles"}

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+{"doc_id": "0b237c2640d3cfae6b52d6b9739ece14", "text": "Agribank splashes $1m on ICT upgrade\nAfrica Moyo Business Reporter\nAGRIBANK has so far spent $1,1 million on information communication technology (ICT) infrastructure hardware, as it presses ahead with efforts to ensure system stability and provide more functions for effective service delivery.\nThe entire ICT core banking upgrade is expected to gobble $6,6 million, of which almost $3,9 million is required in foreign currency.\nAgribank chief executive officer Sam Malaba, told the bank’s annual general meeting last week that the upgrade is expected to be concluded in the second half of next year.\n“The bank is in the process of upgrading the core banking system to bring improved functionality, performance and to bring it within the supported software versions by the vendor, Temenos.\n“The project is being implemented over 18 months, targeting completion by the second half of 2019. The objective is to improve on the stability of the system and bring more functionalities for effective service delivery,” said Malaba.\nApart from the core banking system, the ICT upgrade also targets agency banking (point of sale machines).\nThe bank plans to have up to deploy 10 000 POS machines by year end, as it heeds Government calls to promote the usage of plastic money as part of measures to stem cash shortages.\nAgribank’s ICT and e-channels grew last year, processing an estimated 18 million transactions.\nDecember recorded the highest volumes of 3,6 million from about 0,2 million in January last year, representing a transactional growth of more than 1 800 percent, in respect of mobile, e-channels and POS machines.\nGovernment owns Agribank 100 percent, and has been battling to capacitate the financial institution so that it plays its role of financing agriculture efficiently.\nThrough the 2018 National Budget, Government allocated $10 million towards capitalising Agribank, which is striding towards achieving the $100 million capital requirement to be a tier 1 bank by December 31, 2020.\nAs at December last year, the bank’s minimum regulatory capital was $54,9 million, which is double the current minimum threshold of $25 million.\nAgribank, which has been recording profits in the last two years, expects to record yet another profit this year.\nBy May 31 this year, the bank had recorded a profit of $2,9 million, which was 13 percent above the $2,579 million budgeted for the period.\nLast year, the bank posted a profit after tax of $7,9 million compared to $4,8 million in 2016, representing a 65 percent growth driven by non-funded income.\nThe bank declared a dividend of $3 million to the shareholder, who immediately ploughed it back into the business for recapitalisation.\nPermanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Willard Manungo, who attended last week’s AGM, praised Agribank for recording profit for the “second consecutive year”.\n“As shareholders we are happy that for the last two successive financial years, Agribank has been able to perform within the budget structures that it had set for itself and in doing that they have also been able to declare a profit.”", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/agribank-splashes-1m-on-ict-upgrade/"}

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+{"doc_id": "0d571f7a21afd875e8e2691b3b0fc89c", "text": "King Charles III and Queen Camilla's visit as royals to Mombasa would find many footprints of their family in the Coast region.\nMombasa City played host to the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1963. Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022, was King Charles III’s mother.\nThe family is “revered” in Mombasa, known for an imposing four aluminum tusks in an M shape, representing Mombasa, across Moi Avenue, previously Kilindini Road, right at the heart of Mombasa town.\nIt is the late Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, who first visited Mombasa in 1956. In neighboring Kilifi, the monarchy is infamous for atrocities during the 1914 Giriama uprising led by Mekatilili wa Menza.\nLawyer Joseph Mwarandu said many Mijikenda youth were killed in the First and Second World Wars, and 200 traditional Giriama priests (Gohu) were burned to death at Katangani by the British military.\n\"The probe into atrocities committed by the British covered between 1952 to 1963 during the Mau Mau uprising should be concluded,” said Mwarandu, a secretary of the Malindi District Cultural Association (Madca).\nHe added: “Our youth died in the first and second world wars, our traditional priests were burned to death, our women were raped, our cattle and granaries were burned during the Giriama uprising.\"\nThe biggest uprising, according to historical accounts, was on January 14, 1914, near Shakahola Forest, during the forced enlistment of the youth to join the British Army to fight in the First World War.\nOn this eventful day, hundreds of Giriama people were killed while Mekatilili and her son-in-law Wanje wa Mwadorikolo were arrested and sent to Kisii to be jailed.\nBut in recent years, the revered treasured Vigago, a carved wooden 9ft tall artifact stolen from the Giriama, during the colonial rule and taken to Europe and the US, is being returned.\nThe Vigago serves as a memorial for reincarnated spirits of the dead among the Mijikenda people.\nIn Mombasa, National Museums of Kenya (NMK) said Queen Elizabeth II was among the many celebrities who patronised the Mombasa Club (Yatching Club), adjacent to the Fort Jesus within Mombasa Old Town.\n\"Many celebrities have patronised this place, including Queen Elizabeth in 1963,\" says NMK in its records.\nFounded in 1897, Mombasa Club is the oldest club in Kenya and was, when it opened, exclusively reserved to a white male clientele.\nIts European members were not more than 50. To qualify for membership, one was required to have an income of 250 sterling pounds a year.\nToday, although admission is still limited to membership, there are no more restrictions on race, gender, or income.\nIn 1952, Mombasa became its main landmark when wooden structures resembling elephant tusks were erected to commemorate visits by the British royal family.\nPrincess Elizabeth was then visiting colonial Kenya and Mombasa had prepared to receive her, but the tour was cut short while in Nyeri following the death of her father. She had to be airlifted home to be officially crowned queen.\nToday, the monument comprises four aluminum tusks in an M shape (representing Mombasa) across Moi Avenue, previously Kilindini Road, right at the heart of Mombasa town.\nThere were originally just two tusks over Moi Avenue, which was then a one-lane road. However, the road was later expanded to two lanes, and a new set of tusks was built in 1956 by the Mombasa municipal council.\nThe refurbishment was in preparation for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II's sister, Princess Margaret, to the region in 1956.\nFormer Mombasa mayor Rajab Sumba remembers Princess Margaret's visit to Mombasa when she made her way to view the imposing tusks erected in honor of the royal family.\n\"I was around 18 years old and working with a petroleum company at Shimanzi in Mombasa. The modern tusks were put up in honour of Princess Margaret in 1956,\" he recalls.\nThe four new tusks, two over each lane, are made of weather-resistant aluminum and have become a major tourist attraction and a meeting place for many as the structures lay near the Uhuru Gardens recreational park. The monument is under the jurisdiction of the NMK and Mombasa County government.\nIn 2017, the county government and its partners refurbished the tusks. They added wooden models of elephants to the center of the tusks as part of aesthetics.\nFormer Fort Jesus museum curator Mr Jimbi Katana noted that many buildings at Mombasa's Treasury Square and the Old Town have British footprints.\nHe cited the Ivory House behind the KCB Treasury Square, the Government Square at Mombasa Old Port, and the Mombasa Yachting Club (Mombasa Club).\n\"The Mombasa Club remains one of the most popular places that celebrities from the United Kingdom visited,\" he explained.\nAt Mama Ngina Waterfront Park in Mombasa, he said the green spaces bear many historical traces, such as the military bunkers. The British used the bunkers during the First and Second World Wars.\nMana Hotel near the Customs House in Mombasa, which was demolished nearly 20 years ago, was also a popular haven for British settlers from Nanyuki and elsewhere who visited Mombasa.\nSarova Hotels and Resorts group managing director Jimi Kariuki, said the UK has invested a lot in Kenya's tourism and infrastructure-related projects, citing the modern cruise ship terminal at the port of Mombasa funded through Trademark East Africa.\n\"The UK and the British Royal family, in particular, have been very strong supporters of wildlife conservation in Kenya through charities such as TUSK, whose Royal patron is Prince William, Prince of Wales,\" said Kariuki.\nThe veteran hotelier, who also served as chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), said the introduction of direct passenger flights between the UK and the Kenyan Coast should be effected to boost tourism. He said that good air accessibility is key to the success of long-haul tourism destinations.\n\"Whereas Nairobi is quite well serviced by Kenya Airways and British Airways from the UK, the coastal destinations are not,\" he argued. He said since 2014, there have been no charters flying to the coast.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001484447/royal-family-footprints-in-coast-as-king-charles-visits"}

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+{"doc_id": "0d714a28b75e557cc796585d5aa31046", "text": "Governors who have been promised plum positions after the forthcoming elections will make millions of shillings per month should their push for a lifetime pension succeed.\nTheir demands, which could cost taxpayers more than Sh2.3b a year to maintain their specified lifestyle, has however been opposed by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), which argues that it is unrealistic, unsustainable and a burden to taxpayers.\n“Their proposals for pension and other non-pension benefits for governors and deputy governors are not fiscally affordable and sustainable due to the budgetary implication. For instance, it will cost public coffers in excess of Sh2.3b in the first year alone,” said SRC.\nThe demands by the governors and their deputies for hefty payoff perks are contained in a petition filed through the Council of Governors (CoG) in which they are demanding similar send-off packages like retired presidents, deputy presidents, chief justices and speakers of Parliament.\nThe CoG suit, which is set for hearing at the High Court today, means the outgoing governors who have been promised various positions in their political formations and those seeking fresh elective seats will be having double salaries every month for the rest of their lives. Kakamega Governor Wycliff Oparanya, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Kitui’s Charity Ngilu are some of the governors who have been promised Cabinet Secretary positions by Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga, should the win.\nFor Kenya Kwanza, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua leads the pack of those set to earn double salaries from taxpayers. Others are Turkana’s Josephat Nanok, Kwale’s Salim Mvurya and Amason Kingi of Kilifi. Other outgoing governors seeking elective positions, including Uasin Gishu’s Jackson Mandago, Makueni’s Kivutha Kibwana, Elgeyo Marakwet’s Alex Tolgos, Narok’s Samuel Tunai, Samburu’s Moses Lenolkulal and Busia’s Sospeter Ojaamong' will also have double pay should they win.\nThe CoG argues in the suit that they are justified to receive the hefty pensions, just like any other civil servant, and that by virtue of their offices as heads of counties; their perks should be equated to those of retiring president. They want a monthly pension of Sh739,200 for governors and Sh700,000 for deputy governors, in addition to a lump sum payment equivalent to one-year pay, a 3,000cc four-wheel-drive vehicle, fuel allowance, each a driver, a personal assistant and medical cover for local and overseas treatment.\nBut the SRC, through a replying affidavit sworn by the Commission Secretary Anne Gitau, argues that paying the retiring governors, some who will have employment in the Government, would have a ripple effect on all other state officers in national and county governments.\n“Besides fiscal unsustainability, providing the benefits to governors and their deputies would distort the retirement benefits structures for State officers and occasion disparity in retirement benefits for State officers,” swore Ms Gitau.\nShe said if the same demands were to be applied to other State officers like AG, CSs, PSs, judges, constitutional office holders and MPs, it would mean taxpayers foot a Sh17b bill annually.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001450793/retired-governors-fight-for-monthly-millions"}

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+{"doc_id": "106972ceaa9fd9369c76c300e77d8f6d", "text": "What you need to know:\n- With health now devolved, inadequate funding of counties imposes further financial constraints on the system.\n- We must streamline the cost of healthcare provision to curb exploitation of patients by unscrupulous health providers.\nUniversal healthcare being one of the pillars of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ‘Big Four’ agenda, the political will to achieve quality, affordable health coverage is not in doubt.\nThe right to health is entrenched in the Constitution.\nArticle 43 states that every person has the right to the highest standard of health and no one should be denied emergency medical treatment.\nVision 2030, Kenya’s roadmap to a middle-income economy, prioritises health as a major component of the social pillar.\nAn analysis of the system reveals a cocktail of challenges hindering optimal delivery of universal healthcare despite it being so strongly anchored in law and policy.\nPOVERTY\nFirst, most Kenyans cannot afford treatment and medication and the rising high cost of doctor consultations and medical procedures have pushed healthcare beyond their reach.\nResearch shows 32 per cent of households’ health budget is financed out of pocket as State and non-governmental actors account for 31 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively. Health insurers finance 13 per cent.\nGiven that Kenyans pay directly for a larger chunk of medical expenses, the surging cost of healthcare has had a direct adverse effect on households.\nThe high prevalence of poverty aggravates barriers to healthcare access by the majority.\nREGULATION\nSecond, there is lack of a clear legal framework on computation of the cost of treatment and medicines.\nHealthcare value chain actors — including hospitals, pharmacies and drug suppliers — are not effectively regulated regarding fees and prices.\nThis opacity makes it difficult to ascertain the reasonable cost of healthcare in Kenya.\nThird, public health facilities are underfunded. Government spending on healthcare is just six per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).\nThis is low compared, for instance, to education or infrastructure.\nDEVOLUTION\nWith health now devolved, inadequate funding of counties imposes further financial constraints on the system.\nThrow in recurrent strikes by health personnel and one begins to fathom the enormity of the crisis in the system.\nInadequate funding compromises quality and availability of health services.\nDue to dilapidated public health facilities, many Kenyans resort to the more expensive private health outlets.\nIn addition, most public hospitals suffer a chronic lack of drugs, forcing patients to turn to private pharmacies.\nFUNDING\nThe rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as cancer has further strained the health system and impoverished many families.\nThese diseases are expensive to treat and involve protracted medical procedures and care.\nThese challenges undermine the ability of our health system to deliver universal healthcare.\nWe must streamline the cost of healthcare provision, including consultation fees and medicines, to ensure predictability and curb exploitation of patients by unscrupulous health providers.\nA well-managed cost regime also encourages health insurers to lower premiums, enhancing coverage, directly reducing the burden on households.\nThe government should also increase public health funding at county and national levels and expand and modernise our healthcare infrastructure.\nCAPITATION\nFinally, we need to create incentives for service providers to tame the escalating costs.\nCapitation for service providers in lieu of the fee for service would allow for patients to pay for only what they need and reduce the tendency of health providers to prescribe unnecessary medical procedures and medication.\nThese measures, taken in totality, will certainly make universal health coverage an attainable goal for Kenya.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/oped/opinion/How-Kenya-can-attain-universal-healthcare/440808-4361990-4ts828/index.html"}

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+{"doc_id": "121d523d549aeb7af097b5878061b9d9", "text": "Acardia project targets 1 000 jobs\nGolden Sibanda\nCHINESE firm, Huayou, expects to create up to 1 000 new jobs during the construction and production phases of the Arcadia lithium project following the firm’s US$372 million acquisition of Zimbabwe based lithium-ion batteries mineral producer.\nA global corporation based in Tongxiang, China, Huayou announced the acquisition of the Arcadia lithium project from Prospect Resources Plc and minority shareholders on April 20, 2022.\nFollowing the acquisition, the company said it would invest US$300 million to develop the mine and construct a processing plant over the next 12 months.\nThe mine will have capacity to treat about 4,5 million tonnes of ore per annum, translating to roughly 400 000 tonnes of lithium concentrate per annum, the company said yesterday.\nThe massive investment by Huayou has potential to significantly transform the local community and drive economic growth in Zimbabwe.\nPresident Mnangagwa officiated at the ground breaking ceremony for the project in April 2018 and dovetails into his “Zimbabwe open for business mantra”.\nLithium is of strategic importance to Zimbabwe’s economy and forms a crucial element of the Second Republic’s target to build a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023.\nThe mineral, whose popularity has grown tremendously in recent years amid growing demand in the production of electric vehicles, is expected to contribute half a billion US dollars by that time.\nNotably, mining in general is an integral part of Zimbabwe’s economy given it generates more than 75 percent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and accounts for at least 12 percent of gross domestic product.\nHuayou’s Arcadia project is Africa’s most advanced lithium project and would further elevate Zimbabwe’s status, already world fifth largest producer with a single active mine (Bikita Minerals), as a major global producer of battery lithium minerals.\nHuayou said the Arcadia project would be implemented with special attention to the necessary environmental care to limit to a bare minimum emissions that harm the environment.\nThe company also pledged significant investments in the latest technology to produce lithium concentrate and has committed itself to ensure the knowledge is also transferred to its employees.\n“Huayou estimates that there will be more than 600 Zimbabweans employed during the construction phase while direct employment during the production phase will be between 700 and 900 employees,” the company said.\nThe Chinese battery minerals producer pointed out that priority for employment would be given to people from the local community and around the mine site, 38 kilometres east of Harare in Goromonzi.\n“There will be focus on training and development, as well as finding suitable graduates from universities in Zimbabwe for attachment programmes,” Huayou said.\nThe company said it would continue to focus on corporate social responsibility and has already invested in a local school, Vhuta, which is near the mine site.\nA CSR committee has already established a needs analysis conducted in wards surrounding the area to determine areas that should be accorded priority.\n“The CSR committee will focus on implementation of CSR projects to address the needs including employment, education, health, accessibility to potable water initiatives.”\nThe company said it had a proud record of CSR investments initiatives in agriculture, education, training and medical support at its operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).\n“In 2016, the agricultural project launched in the DRC was enrolled by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations as a demonstration project of Chinese foreign economic and technological cooperation,” Huayou said.\nHuayo is a global corporation that specialises research in development, manufacturing and sale of lithium-ion battery and cobalt minerals. The firm was established in 2002 and set up African operations in 2006.\nThe company acquired its first mining assets in the DRC in 2009. Since then, the company has gone on an expansion and investment crusade to become a global leader in refined cobalt materials and lithium iron battery materials.\nHuayou has a global footprint with operations in South America, Africa, Indonesia and China as well as a customer base in the USA, Europe, China and South Korea.\nAmid growing demand for lithium, triggered by the transition to clean energy sources for electric vehicles, Zimbabwe is among countries hogging global limelight as investors take positions in the country.\nChengxin Lithium Group started the spate of several lithium asset acquisitions in Zimbabwe last November when it bought a 51 percent interest in Max Mind Investments’ Sabi based Star Lithium Mine in eastern Zimbabwe at a cost of US$77 million.\nZhejiang Huayou Cobalt then followed when it announced in December last year it would purchase an 87 percent stake in Zimbabwe’s Arcadia Mine lithium project from Australia’s Prospect Resources.\nOn February 8, 2022 the Sinomine Resource Group revealed it had paid US$180 million to acquire 100 percent of African Metals Management Services and Southern African Metals and Minerals, which jointly own 74 percent of Bikita Minerals.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/acardia-project-targets-1-000-jobs/"}

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+{"doc_id": "14030555d472b7ec8fac6215e2ec839d", "text": "$90m package for SMEs unveiled\nZvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter—\nVice President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday launched a $90 million funding package to capacitate upcoming businesses across all sectors and help formalise their operations to ensure they contribute to the mainstream economy. This comes as Government enhances efforts to stimulate economic growth through small to medium enterprises. The $90 million\nOf the $90 million facility, $10 million will go to horticulture, $15 million to cross border traders, $40 million for the gold facility, $15 million for women empowerment, while $10 million has been earmarked for business linkages.\nThe launch, held under the theme “Promoting Financial Inclusion for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development”, was attended by representatives of SMEs from different sectors, bankers and senior Government officials.\nIn his address, VP Mnangagwa said the package will complement policy interventions such as Zim-Asset and the 10 Point Plan for Sustained Economic Growth and the country’s industrialisation policy whose over-arching goal is to ensure the rapid transformation of the economy.\n“As Government, we recognise the critical role played by the MSMEs and cooperatives in addressing the issue of poverty reduction, job creation and income generation,” said VP Mnangagwa.\n“That is why the Ministry of SMEs and Cooperative Development, in collaboration with the RBZ have organised this important launch in order to avail funding facilities for the identified five sub-sectors.”\nVP Mnangagwa said the SMEs sector had grown to become the bedrock of economic growth, as most retrenches and graduates had been absorbed and were stimulating development.\n“Given the potential contribution that MSMEs and cooperatives can make to the Zimbabwean economy, it is important that they be provided with the necessary tools to ensure that they grow into large entities that can further provide decent jobs, contribute to the alleviation of poverty, and address economic inequalities in our societies,” he said.\nVP Mnangagwa said despite their significance, micro, small and medium enterprises continued to struggle to acquire funding and knowledge on financial inclusion.\n“While the availability of funding has been improving, access to the same, especially by MSMEs and cooperatives, has been elusive because the funds are too expensive,” he said. “Moreover, MSMEs remain largely informal and, therefore, considered risky business.”\nThrough Command Agriculture, said VP Mnangagwa, Government had demonstrated how access to capital and proper business planning and implementation could enhance production and efficiency.\n“We will also be launching the Command Livestock on Tuesday, which will include beef, goats, fisheries, chicken and sheep among others,” he said.\nSpeaking at the same occasion, Small to Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said SMEs had become the biggest provider of jobs.\nShe said Government scaled up its support for the sector to enhance increased production.\nMinister Nyoni urged entrepreneurs to be disciplined and comply with the requirements of financial institutions.\nRBZ Deputy Governor Dr Jesimen Tarisai Chipika urged SMES to deposit their sales in bank accounts.\nShe said the central bank will soon roll out banking agents in unserviced remote areas.\n“We already have 400 access points,” said Dr Chipika. “We want SMEs to be in the mainstream of the economy. As SMEs we must be prepared to be formalised, otherwise banks will collapse because it would be difficult to trace you.\n“We cannot give money to people of no fixed abode.”", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/90m-package-for-smes-unveiled/"}

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+{"doc_id": "15a58329f900d3c9b8f016a7270eb458", "text": "Africa to speak with one voice at COP28\nKudzanai Sharara in Dubai, UAE\nAfrican countries will speak with one voice at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) which convenes from today to the 12th of December 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).\nThis is according to the Draft African Position paper for COP28 seen by this publication.\nThe Draft African position, which was prepared by the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) shows Africa has a common position for COP28.\nThe continent’s common position is informed by its unique circumstances, being the, lowest in terms of development index, highest in poverty levels and unable to achieve SDGs by 2030 as compared to other regions.\nFurther, Africa’s unique circumstances are characterised by resource and capacity constraints, climate vulnerabilities, historical and future greenhouse gas (GHG emissions responsibility, immediate needs for adaptation and mitigation, and a long-term vision for sustainable development.\nDespite contributing minimally to historical and current greenhouse gas emissions, Africa is disproportionately subjected to the far-reaching impacts of climate change.\nThis includes biodiversity loss, dwindling water supplies, diminished food production, loss of human lives, and constrained economic growth.\nRecent findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in their Sixth Assessment Reports revealed that developing countries will face an overwhelming burden of adaptation costs, reaching an annual figure of US$127 billion.\nSpecifically for Africa, the annual cost by 2030, is projected to be a staggering US$86.5 billion.\nAs a result, for Africa to be able to cope with this existential threat, there is a need for the continent to speak with one voice and call for urgent climate action.\nPermanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife Professor Prosper Matondi said Africa needs a strong voice if its climate change concerns and what needs to be done are to be heard and acted upon.\nSpeaking to this publication on the first day of COP28 Prof Matondi said, “Climate change is a global issue and requires a collective voice and also requires agreement on what needs to be done”.\nHe said that agreement can only be done at part-to-part level.\n“I know there are other stakeholders with an interest in this but we need to have Governments agreeing on the basic framing of issues of climate change that affect the ordinary society and also the large economies.\n“And for that in Africa, we have a Group of Negotiators on Climate Change and we are trying to coordinate our efforts through the regional bodies we have, it might be SADC, ECOWAS, the East Africa Community or through the Africa Union,” said Prof Matondi.\nAccording to the draft position paper, Africa’s approach to these multilateral climate negotiations is underpinned by principles of multilateralism, equity, sustainable development, and common but differentiated responsibilities.\n“African countries will seek to prioritize Africa’s interests and speak with one voice while ensuring that their voices, concerns, and proposals are heard and acted upon,” reads the AGN position paper in part.\nThis year, African negotiators will be coordinated by Zambia as the Chair of the Africa Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Ministers by Senegal as the Chair of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN), and heads of state by Kenya as the Coordinator of the Committee of Africa heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), to effectively advance Africa’s common position on climate change.\nThere is already a set of guiding principles for the African common position which negotiators will use as a useful guide and source of information and reference in the UNFCCC committees, panels and other climate-related institutions.\nOne such principle is that of multilateralism. African countries are firmly committed to a multilateral approach to the global challenge of climate change, with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its centre.\nFull implementation of the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement is in the best interest of African countries particularly vulnerable to climate change and already adversely affected.\nAfrica’s negotiation position is also guided by the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, the principles of historical responsibility, and equity, in light of different national circumstances.\nAfrica is of the view that developed countries have clear commitments to take the lead on mitigation action and to provide support to developing countries.\nAt the same time, developing countries have a commitment to take action, determined by them and in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and supported by developed countries.\nThe continent also seeks justice and equity given its contribution to global GHG emissions remains low (about 3 percent from fossil fuels and industry and 4 percent from LULUCF) but suffers disproportionately from the impacts of climate.\n“The African continent endures a disproportionately higher impact from climate change, manifesting in severe weather patterns, reduced agricultural productivity, increased water insecurity, and threatened biodiversity, among others.\n“This harsh reality underscores the need for global climate response strategies that are centred on justice and equity, recognising Africa’s low GHG emissions and its heightened vulnerability.\n“Consequently, this necessitates increased support for African nations in climate adaptation, resilience-building, and access to climate finance and climate-smart technologies to cope with these stark climate impacts,” reads the draft position paper in part.\nIn terms of priorities, African countries will prioritise adaptation and will make sure that imminent impacts should not be overlooked and must remain an essential element of any outcome on adaptation.\n“Addressing loss and damage as a result of climate change impacts is a critical element of the multilateral response to climate change, both from a legal and from a moral standpoint; loss and damage associated with climate change impacts must be addressed multilaterally in affected countries and communities in a comprehensive manner; both during crises and after crises in rebuilding and rehabilitation.”\nAfrica will also push for a just transition and get its fair share of the opportunities associated with the transition to a low-carbon global economy.\n“Negotiations should further seek to avoid negative impacts on African countries’ economies and national sovereignty; on the contrary, these must address Africa’s urgent sustainable development challenges, and ensure that African countries are at the heart of the low carbon global economy,” reads the draft position paper.\nAfrican countries are undertaking ambitious actions to tackle climate change both in adaptation and mitigation; these efforts should be recognised.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/africa-to-speak-with-one-voice-at-cop28/"}

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+{"doc_id": "15b2a97982474bd5f54eb6fd222991b6", "text": "Address by His Excellency\non the Commemoration of Heroes Day National Heroes Acre, 8th August 2011.\nHonourable Vice President, Mai Joice Mujuru and General Solomon Mujuru,\nHonourable Vice President, Comrade John Landa Nkomo,\nHonourable Prime Minister, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai,\nHonourable Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Arthur Mutambara and Amai Mutambara,\nHonourable Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Thokozani Khupe,\nHonourable President of the Senate, Mai Edna Madzongwe,\nThe Chief Justice, Honourable Godfrey Chidyausiku,\nHonourable Ministers,\nService Chiefs,\nWar Veterans, Detainees, Restrictees and Collaborators,\nMembers of Parliament,\nHis Worship the Mayor of Harare Mr Muchadeyi Masunda,\nMembers of the Diplomatic Corps,\nFamilies of Heroes of Zimbabwe’s Liberation Struggle,\nInvited Guests,\nLadies and Gentleman,\nComrades and Friends\nEvery year, on this day, which falls in August, our nation gathers in one accord, at this sacred National Shrine and others across the country, to remember and pay tribute to the heroes of the liberation struggle who won for is the freedom and independence we celebrate in April.\nToday, as we remember the immense sacrifices of our heroes we also celebrate their courage and bravery in confronting the Settler colonial enemy.\nWe celebrate with mixture of both pride and nostalgia, our dear departed and living heroes whose enduring courage blood and suffering enabled us to reclaim our cherished land, our national heritage, freedom, sovereignty and independence.\nWhilst we salute these gallant sons and daughters of the soil, our experience with the enemy has taught us the fundamental lesson of unity in defending our national heritage and vigilance in guarding our freedom and cultural values.\nAs we gather here today, let no man or woman, dream that they can dismantle these formidable foundations forged on the anvil of the armed liberation struggle, and for which our people perished during the liberation struggle waged twice by our heroes, the first in 1896-1897 and the second in 1967-1980.\nToday, however, the main struggle is a socio-economic one of improving the standards of living of our people as Government continues to direct its efforts towards continued economic recovery. As part of these efforts, Government having successfully implemented the Short Term Emergency Recovery Policy (STERP) has now adopted the Macro-Economic Policy and Budget Framework (2010-2012) in order to hasten the turnaround of the economy.\nThe recent launch by Government of the Medium Term Plan (MTP) (2011-2015), should ensure not only the consolidation of the macro-economic stability so far achieved, but also the sustenance of our development thrust.\nToday, due to the hard work of all Zimbabweans and development partners, we enjoy a very low inflation rate. Our economic growth rate is also higher than the regional average. These economic indicators bode well for rapid economic growth and employment creation, as confidence in the economy continues to grow on the back of increasing investment.\nHowever, it is fundamentally important to recognise that stability and rapid economic progress of a country cannot be achieved unless there is peace in the country. The promotion of a culture of sustainable peace in the country is of utmost importance to our nation.\nThe Organ for National Healing Reconciliation and Integration thus remains a critical institution for ensuring a framework for lasting peace and sustainable development. We are happy that significant progress is being realised towards creating a more tolerant and more peace loving society.\nIt is the responsibility of all political parties, civil society, religious groups and churches, local authorities, the corporate sector, workers organisations and all other institutions, to work hard for peace and the social cohesion of the nation as a whole.\nEven as we prepare for the coming National Elections, our political environment should remain peaceful stable and people friendly.\nLet us closely guard ourselves against the divisive antics of neo-colonialism, which is persistently rearing its ugly head in our midst and employing devilish tactics to sow seeds of discontent and disharmony amongst our people so that they turn against each other.\nThis is not only a deliberate ploy to format political instability and derail our development, but it is also is a well orchestrated move designed to undermine the basics and pillars of our nation by destroying the very foundation of the liberation struggle we are celebrating today.\nThe impact of the illegal economic sanctions imposed by some Western countries, assisted by their proxies, to advance their regime change agenda continues negatively to undermine our economy in its various sectors.\nWe call upon those who have imposed these illegal punitive sanctions to remove them forthwith. We reiterate that we cannot continue to receive the battering of sanctions without hitting back. Let them heed this warning!\nThe on-going Constitution making process, which is in its final stage, should give full meaning to our freedom by consolidating conditions necessary for development under a peaceful environment.\nIn particular, it should empower Zimbabweans to unequivocally assert their sovereign right over the ownership, control and use of their God-given resources for the benefit of all our citizenry.\nGovernment’s continuing focus on the productive sectors of agriculture, mining, manufacturing and tourism is intended to grow the economy by intensifying value addition activities that will improve the competitiveness of the country with its trading partners.\nThe infrastructure sector also offers many investment opportunities in power, water, roads, rail, Information Communication Technologies (ICT’s) and telecommunications, and the social sectors of health and education which, despite resources constraints, will continue to receive due attention of Government.\nGiven the broad range of investment opportunities, domestic and foreign investors are not only invited to invest in sectors of their choice but also do so through the medium of Public Private Partnerships and joint ventures.\nThe empowerment agenda remains central to Government’s priorities. In this regard, resettled farmers, and in particular A1 and communal farmers, are the targeted benefices of Government subsidies input programmes to enable them to timeously prepare for the cropping season so as to increase productivity.\nThe subsidised inputs programme will be extended to A2 commercial farmers depending on the availability of resources at Government’s disposal.\nGovernment will continue to look for resources to support farmers with critical inputs, including those for purposes of irrigation development, modernisation and mechanisation of agriculture.\nThe right of sovereign ownership of our resources must find expression in various projects and programmes under the Indeginisation and Economic Empowerment Act, prioritising at the same time the promotion of small to medium scale enterprises as drivers of economic growth.\nGovernment will also ensure that the operation of Indeginisation and Economic Empowerment Act will be to the mutual benefit of both indigenous entrepreneurs and other investors.\nThe low remuneration levels of workers, who include civil servants and who are struggling to meet their daily needs, are a major concern.\nGovernment is therefore continuously looking for ways of reviewing salaries and conditions of service so that they become attractive, and are in line with the improving economy. Measures are also being taken to review pensions to protect pensioners.\nAs Government pursues various initiatives to cushion vulnerable groups in our society, the National Heroes Dependents Assistance Fund will continue to be reviewed in order to provide a decent life to the surviving spouses and minor children of deceased heroes. Although the provision of social services has improved tremendously as evidenced by the enhanced level of social services delivery particularly in health, education and social amenities, Government however, recognises the challenges still faced by ordinary citizens in accessing these basic services.\nAppropriate intervening will continue to be taken where necessary. These include the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) in education and free anti-retroviral treatment to mitigate the scourge of the HIV and Aids pandemic.\nZimbabwe’s historic struggle for self-determination would be incompetent without mentioning the support rendered by various countries.\nAs we take time to pay homage to our heroes, let is also recognise the critical part played by our neighbouring countries in SADC and beyond.\nInternationally, a number of countries have stood firm behind Zimbabwe at the time of our greatest need, among which were our well-weather friends, China, Russia and Cuba, who have always stood firmly in defence of Zimbabwe’s sovereign rights.\nFinally, allow me to pay tribute to our defence, police, prison, and security services for their unflinching, relentless and dedicated service in guaranteeing and maintaining peace, stability and the security of our free sovereign Zimbabwe.\nThis is the role that history has given to them and we ate grateful that they have performed that role in an honourable way.\nComrades and Friends, before we depart from this sacred Shrine, let us re-dedicate ourselves to work harder, in our various spheres of life, to engender tolerance and peace among our people and every day to remember there is a oneness that binds us as Zimbabweans.\nThis is a pledge of unity in diversity and peace forever.\nI thank you.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/address-by-his-excellency/"}

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+{"doc_id": "15e9287f804f2390d8b4679b2a3ff372", "text": "U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has praised Senegal President Macky Sall’s announcement that he would not seek a third term in next year’s election.\nPresident Sall announced his decision in a nationally televised speech, ending weeks of speculation that raised the possibility of political uncertainty in the West African nation.\n“Senegal is more than just me,” Sall said in Monday’s speech, “it's full of people capable of taking Senegal to the next level.”\nIn a statement Blinken said, “We believe that free and fair elections and transitions of power yield stronger institutions and more stable and prosperous countries. President Sall’s clear statement sets an example for the region, in contrast to those who seek to erode respect for democratic principles, including term limits.”\nSall was first elected in 2012, defeating incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade who was seeking a third term of his own. Sall was re-elected in 2019 under a revised constitution that limited a president to two five-year terms – but his supporters have argued that Sall could seek a third term because he was elected under the previous constitution.\nSpeculation that Sall could run again in 2024 set off nationwide protests last month between security forces and supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko in which 16 people were killed after Sonko was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison on sexual assault charges.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001476535/us-praises-senegals-president-for-bowing-out-of-2024-election"}

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+{"doc_id": "17480d2e3ce1148cd73c38f6be508040", "text": "Africa Day: The dream lives on\nSifelani Tsiko Sydnication Writer\nAfrica today celebrates the 54th anniversary of the founding of the continental body — the African Union — at a time when Africa is building up the momentum to press for industrialisation to rapidly transform its desire to turn its vast economic potential into reality. There is no doubt that the continent’s thrust to\nWith bold leadership and state support, consistent monitoring and evaluation, inclusivity and prioritisation of major sectors, it is possible that Africa can be firmly put on the tough and winding road to structural transformation.\nThe era of begging bowls is ending and Africa increasingly needs to finance its development programmes to ensure sustainability of projects and, more importantly, for its own survival.\nThe continent has posted enviable economic growth rates in the past few years despite a slowdown in its 2016 economic growth rate which stood at 2,2 percent down from a 3,2 percent in 2015 owing largely to low commodity prices, weak global recovery and adverse weather conditions that badly affected the continent’s agricultural sector.\nDespite, the slowing growth, Africa still remains a major global destination for investment.\nThe latest African Economic Outlook report shows that the continent’s foreign direct investment stood at US$56,5 billion in 2016 and is projected to hit US$57 billion in 2017.\nFor the continent, the priority is keeping up this momentum and meeting the challenges that lie ahead.\nAfrica Day provides an opportunity to celebrate that African solidarity, African identity and a common humanity and destiny which is shared by the continent’s more than one billion people.\nAfter nearly five-and-half decades of the existence of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, now AU), it is a time for reflection for this continent that is so strategically important to world economics.\nDespite all the harsh criticism, Africa is in a considerably better shape than popular perceptions may suggest.\nBrutal wars and famine have declined, though not to the scale Africans may want to see.\nIt is a fact that people still struggle to make ends meet, just as they do in Europe, the US, Brazil, China and India.\nThey don’t always have enough to eat, they may lack education, they may not have the best of infrastructure, they despair about corruption, lack of jobs, poor service and social injustices and some even want to emigrate.\nIn the process, the dominant Western media continue to capture these problems to paint a different picture about the continent.\nPowerful countries, too, continue to subdue and hurl everything they can find at this collective African spirit that seeks to bind, integrate and ensure Africans have control of their destiny and resources.\nDespite this assault, the African spirit still lives on, unbowed by the divisive and dominant policies of powerful countries, which aim to exploit for next to nothing Africa’s economic resources.\nIn the terms — AFRICA DAY, Zimpapers Syndication unearths some of the major highlights of events and processes driving change on this continent, home to more than one billion people.\nA – for Africa\nThe origin of Africa’s name is an area of major contestation by etymologists. One school of thought suggests that “Afri” was the name of a people, maybe the Berbers of North Africa, given by the Romans while others say the addition of the Latin word aprica, meaning “sunny”, or the Greek word aphrike, meaning “without cold” would ultimately lead to the use of the term Africa.\nSome historians or Egyptologists say the name Africa is of African origins from the Egyptian word “Afru-ika” or ‘Motherland”.\nOther scholars suggest that the name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra — “land of the Afri” referring to the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, in modern-day Tunisia. The Roman suffix “-ca” denotes “country or land”. There are so many theories around the origins of the name and most historians say the actual etymology of Africa is uncertain. No one knows the exact origins but it has come to be acceptable on the continent and globally.\nF – Founding fathers\nFounding fathers who gathered together on May 25 1963 in Addis Ababa to establish the OAU (now AU) had to come up with a united, independent and strong Africa.\nThey dedicated their lives and worked tirelessly to liberate Africa from the shackles of colonialism.\nThe OAU was established, first and foremost, with the express objective of working towards the greater unity of the African continent while at the same time ensuring that the remaining colonies on the African continent are assisted to achieve their freedom and independence.\nThe memory of the founding fathers should not got to waste.\nThe legacy of the likes of Dr Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Modibo Keita of Mali, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Sekou Touré of Guinea, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Ben Bella of Algeria, Emperor Haile Selasse of Ethiopia, William Tubman of Liberia, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya and many others who were part of the major driving forces for a common and shared vision for Africa must live on and never be downplayed.\nTheir vision inspired the pan-African movement and also influenced the transformation of the continental body in the years that followed.\nThese founding fathers must continue to be part of our collective memory as the continent continues to celebrate their work and soldier on in achieving their dreams.\nR – is for Resources\nAfrica has a large quantity of natural resources including oil, diamonds, gold, platinum, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum and a whole range of plant genetic resources. Much of its natural resources are undiscovered and have not been harnessed. Africa is the prime target of most industrial nations who want to exploit its resources.\nDespite the abundance of natural resources, the bulk of resources exploited from Africa is causing most of the value and money from the natural resources to go to the West rather than the African.\nAfrica could be losing more than US$15 billion from its biodiversity as medicines, cosmetics, agricultural products and indigenous knowledge surrounding these are being patented illegally by multinational companies without any of the benefits accruing to local communities in countries of origin.\nThe scourge of illicit financial flows (IFF) from the continent is milking the continent dry. Proceeds from Africa’s resources that could easily turn the continent into one of the most developed and industrialised continents in the world are being squirrelled away in billions depriving the majority of the poor of vital infrastructure, uninterrupted power supplies, jobs and a peaceful and stable socio-economic environment. Economists estimate that Africa is losing up to US$70 billion a year through illicit financial flows — the illegal movement of money out of Africa countries, mostly by transnational corporations.\nThe Global Financial Integrity calls IFFs “the ugliest chapter in international affairs since slavery”, and says as a percentage of GDP, IFFs in Africa are the highest in the world, with multinational corporations a lead contributor, undermining the effect of foreign direct investment and aid.\nFor Africa’s struggling masses, the questions are: “What are we as Africans doing to help stop IFFs, to stop transnational corporations from cheating African nations out of revenue due to them? What is the role of multilateral finance institutions in all this? It is estimated that Africa has lost more than US$1,8 trillion to IFFs between 1970 and 2008 through tax evasion, mispricing of goods and services by multi-national companies.\nIf nothing is done to halt IFFs, Africa’s resources that are intended to develop the continent will be used to improve the quality of life for people in industrialised countries.\nI – for Inter-Africa trade\nAfrican countries are losing out on billions of dollars in potential trade earnings every year because of high trade barriers with neighbouring countries‚ and that it was easier for Africa to trade with the rest of the world than with itself. Africa has a great potential to increase intra-continental trade and create more economic opportunities.\nSub-regional and regional economic groupings are no doubt a great step towards a realisation of the African dream for intra-continental trade and the creation of the African Economic Community.\nOver-reliance on Western markets still remains high and Africa is the loser in this scenario in which rich powerful nations peg the prices for their commodities.\nIntra-Africa trade has the potential to transform the continent and this has been shared by all African leaders and technocrats at various African trade and investment indabas. According to the Africa Economic Outlook Report 2016, intra-regional trade accounted for only 16 percent of Africa’s total trade in 2014, mainly driven by manufactured goods which accounted for 60 percent of total regional trade. The report, notes that the commercial potential of the continent has not yet reached its peak, calls for increased trading within the continent saying intra-African trade would greatly boost growth and development. Economic experts all agree that intra-regional trade is key to boosting economies and in the fight to attain all Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the challenges, regional economic groupings in Africa, are making steady efforts to boost inter -Africa trade.\nC is for Common vision\nGreater regional coordination and a common vision are required for the development of a vibrant Africa in all its key production and processing sectors. Africa needs a strong resolve to reverse the trends of poor performance in all key sectors including accountability, transparency and governance of its projects. Experts all agree that promoting successful innovative partnership platforms, investments in public-private partnerships, smallholder farmer initiatives and the agro-processing sector remains key.\nThe adoption by African leaders in 2015 of Agenda 2063 as the continent’s new long-term vision for the next 50 years was a milestone in the history of Africa. What now remains is the task of fast-tracking the implementation and monitoring of major continental development programmes and frameworks, including Agenda 2063 and the SDGs for the benefit of the continent’s people.\nA is for Aids and health-related matters\nAfter more than 30 years of battling the HIV and Aids, Africa has registered some success in slowing the rate of HIV/AIDS infections to appreciable levels. The progress in tackling the pandemic on the continent has been evident particularly on prevention, treatment and care. According to the latest report by UNAIDS, Global AIDS Update 2016, new HIV infections declined by 14 percent between 2010 and 2015 in Eastern and Southern Africa, the world’s most affected region, and by 8 percent in West and Central Africa. Despite economic constraints, sub-Saharan Africa set up the world’s biggest HIV treatment programmes, providing antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to more than 12 million people, compared with 11 000 in the year 2000.\nHealth analysts say by 2015, for instance, about 10 million people living with HIV in East and Southern Africa and 1,8 million in West and Central Africa were on ARVs, according to the report. To achieve these results, the countries used several health approaches: affordable prices were negotiated for ARV medicines, service delivery systems were simplified and decentralised, and strong supply chains for ARV medicines and other HIV-related commodities were established. More and more countries are integrating prevention and treatment at the community level, meaning home-based caregivers are now becoming responsible for delivering treatments and managing patients. Addressing rising cases of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and the constant threat of Ebola remains a major challenge for Africa. The recent outbreak of Ebola in the DRC is threatening the entire Southern African region and closer collaboration among states remains important.\nD is for Delivery\nMotivational speakers are well known for saying: “If you promised the moon, deliver it along with a handful of stars.” So many promises have been made in Africa in large and small blueprints and yet delivery still remains elusive. Delivering on promises is what the majority of the poor are waiting for. If our leaders follow through on a commitment, small or large, they build trust. And if they go above and beyond they even make an even stronger impression. When everything is said and done, Agenda 2063 has to deliver in terms of improved quality of life for people on the continent.\nA is for Aid\nMore aid is not the answer. Development aid is no substitute for sound economic policy choices. What Africa needs is trade and support to strengthen its industrialisation drive. After a decade of aid fatigue and dwindling development assistance, African countries are realising that domestic mobilisation of resources and financing their own development programmes is vital for sustainable development. Our accumulated knowledge of what works and what does not is now key in fighting issues of poverty and human hardships in Africa. The history of aid in Africa has been documented and shown to be inefficient and at times has proved more of a hindrance to development than a help. A case in point is development aid to Africa that has amounted to more than US$1 trillion since 1950. The pumping of this aid has also apparently increased the dependency syndrome in the period. Corruption has also frittered the resources while conditions have made the donor-receiver relations more complex and problematic. Aid has failed to deliver higher economic growth for Africa and new innovative strategies such as industrialisation plans, private and public sector reform and domestic mobilisation of resources are more crucial than ever now. Promoting entrepreneurship could also spur development.\nY is for Youth in Africa\nAfrican governments need to pay more attention to Africa’s youth which needs more empowerment programmes and more job creation initiatives to help transform the continent and defuse a ticking “time bomb”. With 200 million people aged between 15 and 24 (the youth bracket), Africa has the youngest population in the world. The current trend indicates that this figure will double by 2045, according to the 2012 African Economic Outlook report prepared by experts from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other UN agencies. The story of Africa’s worrisome youth unemployment is shown by the dark side of drug abuse, crime, violence, sex and deaths by many attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe in search of jobs. The youth account for 60 percent of all African unemployed, according to the World Bank. About 10-12 million young people join the labour market each year in Africa and to defuse the youth unemployment time bomb, African governments need to mobilise resources, including from the private sector for youth development. Countries need to implement youth empowerment action plans to both unemployment and under-employment. The African youth are crying for the creation of safe, decent and competitive employment opportunities for themselves.\n“We must unite now or perish,” Kwame Nkrumah, said in 1963. – Zimpapers Syndication", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/africa-day-the-dream-lives-on/"}

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+{"doc_id": "1b59d9d64d5dc6cb158921fd4c01c4fd", "text": "Kenyans are anticipating President William Ruto's articulation of plans to address what his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, describes as \"the economic quagmire\" on the country's 60th anniversary.\nPolitical analysts also expect him to tackle the persistent challenge of corruption in government offices, despite his tough rhetoric against it. The latest instance, the edible oils saga, remains unaddressed.\nOther pressing issues include high unemployment rates, soaring living costs, the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum in education, and funding for health programs and infrastructural development projects.\nSpeaking at the recent Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya conference, the deputy president urged attendees to contribute ideas to the Treasury and President Ruto on how to remedy the economic challenges.\nIdeas needed\n\"Let anyone with ideas on fixing this economy come and talk to us. On behalf of the President, I welcome ICPAK to engage with our team at the National Treasury. We invite you to share insights with the President as we are all aligned in this effort,\" said Gachagua.\nHe emphasised their openness to advice, acknowledging that no one knows everything. They expressed gratitude for any prudent advice from ICPAK that can help the country navigate the challenges it currently faces.\n- Community health workers boost counties universal healthcare bid\n- Inside UON's digital health facility\n- Cabinet okays NHIF scrapping if four bills get MPs nod\n- Ruto reaffirms State's support for health sector under devolution\nPolitical analyst Martin Andati, however, disagrees with Gachagua, advising the president not to take his advice seriously. Andati says accountants, like Gachagua, are bean counters who keep and audit books but are not recognised for wealth creation.\nAndati suggests that the President should appoint top economists to lead the Treasury, guiding the economy toward growth instead of relying solely on instructions from the IMF and World Bank.\nHe recommends that, in his Jamhuri Day address to the nation, President Ruto should provide hope by explaining how the economy will be fixed to lower the cost of living.\nFurthermore, Andati says the president should focus on assessing the country's current situation and seek solutions, especially since he has fulfilled political obligations to those who supported him in gaining power.\nTough decisions\n\"He must now seek individuals ready to work, make tough decisions, and have the courage to inform him of our predicament. Independent-minded individuals who can walk away if he ignores their advice,\" says Andati.\nIt has also been argued that the current government has not met expectations due to the caliber of people appointed to assist President Ruto in governing the country.\nFormer Cabinet Minister Kipruto arap Kirwa, who served in President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, believes the issue is that Ruto rewarded many of his political allies who helped secure the presidency, and they have now fallen short of expectations.\n“The fact is that some in the Cabinet were his campaigners, but whether they can create a team that delivers his administration's agenda is another matter altogether,” says Kirwa. He says President Ruto's leadership style does not allow him to bring in experienced individuals capable of delivering results.\n“It is not him alone. It is a widespread issue across the African continent where leaders are reluctant to share credit with others. Consequently, they select individuals who are either incapable or inexperienced,” says Kirwa.\nHe also believes the Cabinet was not taken through what he calls Government Dispatch, a process that could have assisted Cabinet Secretaries in understanding the concept of collective responsibility.\nThe former minister further asserts that a seemingly dysfunctional cabinet has not assisted the president much. There should be a collective responsibility to allow them to support each other instead of making pronouncements on issues concerning other ministries independently.\nConsultation\n“The Cabinet must be a proper clearinghouse that ensures individual ministers make decisions after consulting colleagues, so whatever is decided has the backing of the entire government,” says Kirwa.\nHis perspective is that the president has not been able to create a team that synergises to collectively deliver, which is how governments, like the one he served under President Mwai Kibaki and in civilised nations worldwide, typically operate.\nHe further contends that some individuals in the Cabinet may be struggling because they do not work through collective responsibility, making it challenging to correct mistakes.\nKirwa highlights this dynamic frequently in Kibaki’s administration, where ministers would make mistakes, and the president would engage them, allowing each to propose a solution.\n“I think the main problem with my brother President Ruto is that he may not be taking advice from anybody, and as you know, advice is only as good as the recipient,” added Kirwa.\nUnless significant changes are implemented in the governance structure, he does not foresee any dramatic improvements in what the government will achieve.\nOvertaxation\nAnalysts anticipate the President to address the severe state of the economy, as it is in disarray, impacting all facets crucial for the country's development.\n“It cannot be fixed by overtaxation. The shilling is in a free fall. Jobless youth are engaged in crime. The cost of living is out of reach. Those are the things he should be talking about today,” says Prof. Gitile Naituli of Multi-Media University.\nHe suggests that President Ruto will likely continue emphasising that the global economy is in disarray, and he inherited a challenging economic situation from Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.\nThe President might also emphasise his commitment to creating jobs for Kenyans abroad, with the analysts arguing that this can only happen through proper investment in education, health, transport, and energy.\nThe shilling has lost 29.8 per cent of its value this year. If nothing is done, analysts fear inflation could reach the levels seen in 1992 when the ruling Kanu party was funding the YK92 lobby group. “The president painted himself as our saviour and we believed him,\" Naituli said.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001487125/cost-of-living-weakening-shilling-expected-to-be-top-in-ruto-address"}

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+{"doc_id": "1b87f3c14ee729ab8c5e0dcfe29705b4", "text": "Diamond Trust Bank's (DTB) shareholders are set to take home a total of Sh1.4 billion in dividends, representing a 66 per cent higher payout than last year after the lender posted a 54 per cent jump in net earnings.\nDTB posted Sh6.79 billion in profit after tax for the full year ending December 2022, riding on higher funded and non-funded income streams.\nThe lender's total operating income surged 21.76 per cent to Sh31.9 billion, driven by growth in net interest and non-interest income.\nBased on the year-end results, DTB directors have recommended the payment of a first and final dividend of Sh5 per share for 2022 compared to the previous year's Sh3 per share.\n\"Following this strong performance, the board has proposed a dividend of Sh1.4 billion, or Sh5.00 per share, reflecting a 67 per cent growth in the dividends paid last year,\" said the lender in its financials published on Monday, March 27.\nDTB Chairman Linus Gitahi said the lender will continue to progressively increase the dividend payouts \"on the back of an improving performance by the Group as well as ensuring that there is an equitable balance between rewarding shareholders and retaining capital to fund DTB's ambitious growth aspirations.\"\nThe bank recorded Sh4.41 billion in net earnings a year earlier.\nIt said its regional expansion had paid off after its subsidiaries continued to post increased earnings. The lender has opened 10 new branches since July last year in Kenya and plans to open another 20 branches over the next nine months, it said. This will increase its footprint in East Africa to over 150 branches by the end of the year.\nGroup Chief Executive Nasim Devji said the lender is confident the investments in its traditional branch footprint as well as in its digital transformation journey will deliver value to its customers as well as shareholders.\n\"We believe that the investments we are making in our people, branch and digital platforms will deliver not just convenience and ease of access to our customers, but also provide them with innovative value propositions which speak to their needs,\" said Devji.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/stocks-markets/article/2001469824/dtb-to-pay-out-sh14-billion-in-dividends-after-sh679b-profit"}

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+{"doc_id": "1fbf5be6a8b0a6f16ea7a89b808b183a", "text": "County bosses have claimed the medical equipment leasing scheme is scandalous after it was varied by more than 100 per cent.\nThe Council of Governors (CoG) says under the Sh38 billion Managed Equipment Service (MES), counties were originally paying Sh95 million, but are now being told to fork out Sh200 million annually.\nThis means that counties now pay cumulatively Sh9.4 billion per year up from Sh4.5 billion. The money is deducted directly from county allocation and paid to the private suppliers by the National Treasury.\n“The Government signed an agreement for MES and later signed MoUs with the county governments on the same. The governors have actually just learnt with shock that the cost of the MES has moved from Sh95 million to Sh200 million per year, without clear explanations,” said CoG Chairman Josphat Nanok.\nThe county bosses have protested that Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich reduced the County Revenue Allocation by Sh14 billion without consultation or reasons given.\nKenya gazette\nMr Rotich had published in the Kenya gazette dated June 29, 2018 the revised disbursement of county governments’ equitable share of allocation of the 2017/2018 year funds.\n“The CS has gone ahead to publish the revised county governments share downwards by Sh14 billion in the gazette notice. This is without discussion, consultation or approval of Parliament in the amendment of the Division of Revenue and County Allocation of Revenue Acts. This renders the process illegal and outright abuse of office,” said Mr Nanok.\nThe county chiefs also questioned why there was more scrutiny on county budgets and expenditures than in the national Government, adding that if the Government was serious about fighting corruption, all unaudited reports and accounts must be approved by Parliament.\nAudited accounts\nNanok argued that the last audited accounts for the counties were that of 2016-2017, while the last audited accounts for the National Government were still as far as 2013-2014 financial year.\n“There is more scrutiny on county budgets and expenditures. The last audited accounts for the counties are 2016-2017, while the last audited accounts for the national government are 2013-2014,” said Nanok.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001287395/governors-raise-alarm-over-sh200-million-lease-of-medical-equipment-scam"}

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+{"doc_id": "2029825f1bad483b5951944596bba10f", "text": "What you need to know:\n- Climate campaigners are clamouring for an end to investment in carbon-spewing fossil fuels.\n- Launched in 2019, the project was supposed to be completed in 2022, but the Covid-19 pandemic slowed it down, said Nafiou Issaka, deputy general manager of the West African Oil Pipeline Company (WAPCO).\nGaya,\nChinese and Nigerien workers haul giant steel pipes over mounds of earth as heavily armed soldiers keep guard.\nAt Gaya in southwest Niger, near the border with Benin, the longest oil pipeline in Africa is being built.\nWith a projected length of nearly 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) — including 1,250 km in Niger itself — the pipeline will connect oil wells in the eastern region of Agadem, a zone troubled by deadly jihadist incursions, with the Beninese port of Seme.\nClimate campaigners are clamouring for an end to investment in carbon-spewing fossil fuels.\nBut in Niger -- the poorest country in the world according to the benchmark of the UN's Human Development Index -- this project is seen as an economic lifeline.\nThe landlocked West African state became an oil producer in 2011. The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), exploiting the reserves, has been sending oil by pipeline to refineries in Zinder in south-central Niger.\nFor exports, Niger initially planned to ship crude through the Cameroonian port of Kribi via neighbouring Chad.\nIt eventually opted for the \"Beninese corridor\" terminating on the northern rim of the Gulf of Guinea.\nLaunched in 2019, the project was supposed to be completed in 2022, but the Covid-19 pandemic slowed it down, said Nafiou Issaka, deputy general manager of the West African Oil Pipeline Company (WAPCO).\nMore than 600 km of pipeline has already been laid, and Niger is on track to sell crude on the international market from next July, according to the ministry of petroleum and energy.\nMore than 700 soldiers have been deployed to ensure security for the project, though a large part of the territory it crosses has so far been spared from jihadist violence, according to a security source who asked not to be named.\n'Niger's biggest investment'\nNiger has long been a major producer of uranium, ranked in global 7th place in 2021 with a total output of 2,248 tonnes, after a year-over-year decline in the past decade, according to the World Nuclear Association.\nBut uranium revenues continue to fall and the country's leaders are banking on oil to boost the national budget, much of which is devoted to the fight against jihadists in the southeast and the west.\nSix billion dollars will be invested in the pipeline.\n\"It is Niger's biggest investment since independence\" from France in 1960, said Kabirou Zakari, who heads the ministry's oil refining division.\nFrom 2023, oil production should be increased to 110,000 barrels per day, of which 90,000 barrels will be exported, Zakari told AFP.\nOil could then \"generate a quarter of the country's GDP\" — more than 13.6 billion dollars in 2020 according to the World Bank — and \"about 50 percent of Niger's tax revenue\", compared to four percent and 19 percent respectively today, added Zakari.\nHe estimated Niger's oil reserves at around two billion barrels. According to official projections, Niger will produce 200,000 barrels per day in 2026.\nFuel smuggling\nThe Algerian oil company Sonatrach has announced an \"encouraging\" discovery of oil in Kafra, a vast area of 23,737 square kilometres (9,165 square miles) on the border with Algeria.\nThe British company Savannah Energy, a major player in the gas industry in neighbouring Nigeria, says it too has found deposits in the Agadem region, where the Chinese are already operating.\nA black market for oil products is flourishing in the capital Niamey and in other big cities. A litre of petrol (gasoline) exchanges hands for 300 FCFA (40 US cents), just under half of the price at the pump.\nOn Tuesday, Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum said fuel smuggling organised from neighbouring Nigeria had become a source of \"supply for terrorists\" and called for a crackdown.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/africa/news/africa-s-longest-oil-pipeline-takes-shape-in-niger--3984636"}

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+{"doc_id": "243d04eec4311364e31297f52191eefe", "text": "Chinamasa grilled over cash ‘black market’\nZvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter\nFinance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa was yesterday taken to task by legislators over Government’s inaction on the illegal sale of scarce cash on the black market.\nMembers of Parliament across the political divide asked the minister why there was no evident effort to prosecute cash dealers whom they claimed acted in cahoots with financial institutions and influential individuals.\nThe questions were raised in the National Assembly during a question-and-answer session. Shamva South Member of Parliament Cde Joseph Mapiki (Zanu-PF) was the first to ask why cash dealers were not being jailed and fingered members of the Indian and Chinese communities for selling cash at a premium.\nCde Mapiki said EcoCash dealers were also levying charges on desperate customers. Minister Chinamasa said there was no law providing for the arrest and imprisonment of such individuals, but that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe was empowered to impose penalties under the Banking Act.\n“The law to jail people (dealing in cash) is not yet there. What is there are penalties for those found doing that. “We have agreed as Cabinet that a law be put in place. I am not saying cash is not being sold, but I do not know about it because I would not be there when people sell it,” said Minister Chinamasa.\nHis response was met with howls of disapproval from legislators, particularly when he said he wanted to get more information in respect of EcoCash dealers.\nLegislators were riled that Minister Chinamasa appeared to suggest he was not aware of a practice that is rampant in the country. Zvimba West MP Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi (Zanu-PF) said a new law would not solve the problem since financial institutions were the major culprits.\n“They sell cash and banks are involved. If you want to travel outside the country they will ask you to deposit your money. Where do they think we would have got it (from)?” said Cde Ziyambi.\nMinister Chinamasa said he was getting regular reports from the central bank on such vices. He undertook to issue a ministerial statement next week giving full details on the issue.\nThis was after he was subjected to a barrage of criticism from legislators on why he was not giving precise responses. The legislators were furious that the minister in some instances said he was not aware of any alleged illegal financial practices.\nGlen View North MP Mr Fani Munengami (MDC-T) implored Minister Chinamasa to give detailed responses, including information on a proposed $300 million stand-by liquidity facility and central bank governor Dr John Mangudya’s views on the performance of the bond notes so far, given that he had indicated that he would resign if they failed to achieve intended objectives.\nDr Mangudya introduced the bond notes as part of the multi-currency system in November last year, stating they would be paid out as an incentive to encourage exports and promote formal Diaspora remittances.\nResponding to another question, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo said engineers were already on the ground in preparation for the commencement of the Beitbridge-Harare highway dualisation.\nHarare South MP Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe (Zanu-PF) had asked for an update on the project. Meanwhile, the Public Entities Corporate Governance Bill was tabled before the National Assembly yesterday.\nThe Bill provides for governance of public entities in compliance with the Constitution, provide a uniform mechanism for regulating the conditions of service of members of public entities and their senior employees.\nThe Bill was referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee to scrutinise whether it is consistent with the national Constitution.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/chinamasa-grilled-over-cash-black-market/"}

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+{"doc_id": "252e4a636acb57edbac62faab0b4e47d", "text": "What you need to know:\n- Truth be told, we are nation of euphoric cry babies who sulk like spurned adolescents and never understand instructions\nShhhh! I’d like to guess it is now safe to mention Artcaffé. Some weeks ago, blue-blooded “indigenous” Kenyans who have made the new media their theatre of war would have bullied you out of cyberspace if you had said something nice about it.\nYou were only safe if you claimed that it spices its schnitzel, linguine carbonara, margherita basilica, tagliatelle Bolognese — and many of its hard-to-pronounce items — with racism and garnishes them with slices of half-baked and stale michetta, ciabatta, boule, brioche or dampfnudel.\nFor the uninitiated, Artcaffé is a delicatessen with outlets in four shopping malls in Nairobi. To regular patrons, it is just a food outlet, an eatery, but for many pseudo-middle class Kenyans, it is a status symbol, thus when these wolves in cheap second-hand clothes visit, they expect chefs and wait staff to put everything on the back burner, roll out the red carpet and mount guards of honour for them.\nIt does not serve what is considered traditional African food and many congenitally-rude Kenyans cannot pronounce the items on its menu, but, all in the spirit of keeping up with the Joneses, they still patronise its outlets.\nSome weeks ago, an “indigenous” Kenyan received what he considered to be unsatisfactory service at one of the outlets. Instead of fighting for his rights himself, he cried out to a sister who bolted to new media screaming that racial discrimination was the main condiment in her brother’s order. Then hell broke loose as epithets were hurled at the establishment’s “racist” foreign proprietors and local wait staff.\nIf you have lived in Kenya long enough, then you know labelling service providers racist or accusing them of racial discrimination is not new. It is an art Kenyans have perfected. When we do not receive what we consider to be good service, we infer racial discrimination — even when the person who supposedly served us poorly is of our race.\nIt is not easy to know exactly who cast the first croissant those many weeks ago, but I can bet my last stick of baguette that whatever transpired did so because the customer was rude, considering that Kenyans are generally obtuse, belligerent and never admit they are at fault.\nDon’t Kenyans just love being “victims” of racial discrimination? We are always discriminated against yet we mistake politeness for stupidity, so much so that even when we seek to be attended to, we do not talk to wait staff but make catcalls at them because the former is a sign of weakness.\nKenyans never ask (for services), we demand — with a fixed mind on what the answer should be. When we are given a different answer, we scream racial discrimination, rally our troops and the rest is hysteria.\nTruth be told, we are nation of euphoric cry babies who sulk like spurned adolescents and never understand instructions. And it is not due to illiteracy, but because we are obstinate, uncivil and are unschooled in simple matters of good mannerisms.\nWe are the people who can go to motorbike races with bicycles and when turned away, complain about racial discrimination, a war-cry that is gaining currency amongst Kenya’s growing ersatz middle class.\nLet’s admit it. We are an unruly, discourteous people who do not understand that bad behaviour is infectious or that we do not have a monopoly over rashness. That is why we throw tantrums when the other parties hit back after we have infected them with our despicable mannerisms.\nWhile there is a dearth of good customer care in many establishments in Kenya, we do not do not know how to stand up for our rights. When we think we are doing so, we end up exposing our inferiority and superiority complexes (which are the same) because we have low self esteem and needlessly and unnecessarily try to stamp our authority.\nLook at how we behave in Parliament, on the roads, on the streets, in mass transport or in places where we are supposed to queue and you will understand how foggy and narrow our collective national mindset is.\nWe experience chaos in Kenya primarily because we are an uncivilised people without the mental capacity to see logic, to reason, to engage in meaningful dialogue, to talk to one another — we are an ignorant, argumentative and combative nation which thinks that we make sense only when we shout and that all our problems are caused by foreigners.\nLaid down procedures or laws are just proposals which we feel we are not obliged to adhere to, and when we are reminded, we throw tantrums and blame it all on foreigners, yeah, racial discrimination, yet we have never internalised our mistakes or shortcomings.\nWhen it comes to haute cuisine, molecular gastronomy or upmarket restaurants, our palates are numb, our taste buds are dead and also, we have limited, or no knowledge at all, about culinary arts or fine foods.\nThus, we order items because they are high-priced — all in trying to keep up with the Joneses — then wail, whine, hurl epithets when they do not taste like the bland, ordinary, badly-cooked fare we usually consume in road-side eateries.\nDear Kenyans, Five Star is not a building. It is a lifestyle. As long as we do not understand that, and change our mannerisms or learn to be polite, we deserve to be racially discriminated against — and, yes, we can complain till kingdom come but the so-called foreigners will not budge and we will never run them out of town either. Thanks for reading.\n----------------\nWhy do kenyans love to hide behind social media?\nDo you know who I am?” an enraged celebutard asked, and the proprietor coolly answered: “If you don’t know who you are, then you need to see a doctor.”\nIf there is an “art” I am yet to master, it is the ranting on the new media about an establishments with unsatisfactory service. Maybe I will do it, probably I have done it, but to the best of my recollection, I do not think I have.\nI also patronise establishments that offer “poor” services, but I defend my rights there and then, after all, I am the one who is affected, so why should I seek validation by bringing in other people with one side of the story?\nI find it a bit malicious and foolish, an ill-advised activity that reveals more about the complainant’s feeble mind, meekness, low self esteem, lack of confidence, than the establishment’s bad service.\nThe point is, I get what I need and I never accept poor service at any time of the day or night at any establishment, be it a supermarket, restaurant or corporate companies.\nWhen it comes to the latter, I call them (or the public relations agencies that handle their issues) and explain my problem and even the lethargic Kenya Power has sorted me out numerous times just through phone calls.\nDid I mention that the biggest whiners are “celebutards” and TV personalities with do-you-know-who-I-am–mentality? They feel slighted when they are not recognised, so they rush to the new media to rally their troops even after they have caused a ruckus at the establishment.\n... And why do they bully?\nKenyans are bullies and many a time their victims let them off lightly. One thing I have promised myself is never to be bullied — and in turn, I never bully people.\nIf you cut in front of me in a queue anywhere, I tell you to get back, no matter your social status, gender, age, religion or sexual orientation.\nIf you hoot at me when I am crossing the road at a zebra crossing or when I have right of way, I stop and remind you that I also drive.\nWhen I am behind the wheel and you honk when I am waiting for the lights to change, I stay put because a vehicle’s horn has never blown another vehicle out of the road.\nAnd yes, I give way to essential services like ambulances and fire engines, and I am not so narrow-minded as to fight for space so I can rush after them.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/Features/DN2/The-croissant-scandal-that-never-was/957860-1908800-m09t9w/index.html"}

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+{"doc_id": "25ab7eea4003b0e6912b76b237b69fe3", "text": "AfDB plans Zim financial package\nSydney Kawadza in MALABO, Equatorial Guinea\nTHE African Development Bank (AfDB) is working on a financial package for the country, as the continental bank continues to be impressed by political and economic reforms being implemented by Harare.\nIn an interview on the sidelines of the 54th Meeting of Boards of Governors of the AfDB and the 45th Annual Meeting of the African Development Fund (ADF), which ended last week, AfDB director for the Southern African region Dr Kapil Kapoor confirmed that a package was being crafted.\n“We are in the process of having discussions with the African Development Fund donors on what are the size (of funding) the AfDB would disburse; what are the conditions of the entire programme?” said Dr Kapoor.\n“Once those numbers appear by December this year, then we start seeing what sort of finance to fund from the system.”\nThe move by the AfDB comes immediately after the bank approved the Zimbabwe Country Brief, in an overwhelming endorsement of the country’s reforms under the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP).\nDr Kapoor said he met Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube during the Bank’s meetings here and told him the AfDB was happy with the reforms.\nHe said the board would be providing resources for disasters such as Cyclone Idai and some relief projects.\n“The reason our board was encouraged to do that was because of the agreement with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) on the programme and some of the laws the country is in the process of changing,” said Dr Kapoor.\n“We believe there is a lot of momentum taking place (and) as long as that happens, we will continue supporting; we will be able to continue supporting it.\n“There is an agricultural programme that will be probably ready around October of this year, as you know this is the end of ADF cycle; so we are drawing down on the AfDB resources and it’s limited.”\nDr Kapoor said as part of the reforms underway in the country, the Staff Monitored Programme (SMP) being implemented under the watchful eye of the IMF was “a very good step”, adding that the next step was to ensure “Government delivers on its commitments”.\n“Government has to commit to all these laws that they are changing,” he said. “Once this track record of reforms is established, this will then allow for further funding. What is important now is to maintain that reform momentum.\n“Once that confidence is there, then we will go to the next step.”\nIt is also expected that at least three major projects funded by the AfDB would be launched in the country by October this year.\nGovernment is also confident that it could start drawing funds under the ZimFund starting January or February next year.\nAn arrears clearance plan is central to more funds coming from the AfDB.\nZimbabwe owes the AfDB US$605 million.\nMeanwhile, the AfDB said Zimbabwe’s economy expanded by an unprecedented 3,5 percent last year, driven by agriculture together with a peaceful election despite cash shortages and the three-tier pricing system.\nThe AfDB also says the growth came despite foreign currency shortages\nThe bank projects a 4,2 percent economic growth this year and 4,4 percent next year.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/afdb-plans-zim-financial-package/"}

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+{"doc_id": "265ae3c04469359b11ac89f26ff8de3d", "text": "-\nFreeman Razemba Senior Reporter The redesigning and rehabilitation of the Harare-Kanyemba Road in Mbire, Mashonaland Central has moved a gear up, with 2km of a stretch between Mahuhwe and Mushumbi being completed and opened to traffic. The contractor, Exodus & Company (Pvt) Limited, is presently working on redesigning and the total construction of a 10km […]\n-\nVictor Maphosa recently in MUDZI The construction of Chimango Clinic in Mudzi District, through the use of devolution funds, has been completed, much to the relief of hundreds of villagers. Mudzi Rural District Council deployed devolution funds towards construction of Chimango Clinic, as it plays its part in the attainment of the nation vision of […]\n-\nZimbabwe is a beautiful country, not so much because it is home to one of the seven wonders of the world—the mighty Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke that Thunders), known to the world as the Victoria Falls, her wildlife heritage or stunning scenery, but her people.\n-\nHerald Reporter The US$153 million expansion of the terminal at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport will be completed by mid-next year, with two shuttle buses commissioned yesterday in anticipation of increased traffic once the upgrade ends. In terms of the airport upgrading, construction is almost complete and just a few final touches are being conducted, […]\n-\n-\nMichael Tome Business Reporter AFRICAN Risk Capacity(ARC) Limited intends to invest US$100 million towards agriculture insurance in Zimbabwe, as it broadens its African footprint and interventions to improve the strategically key sector’s resilience in the face of climate change. ARC is a specialised agency of the African Union (AU) established to help African Governments to […]\n-\nHerald Reporter GOLD coins to be released onto the market on July 25 provide an investment option and will also help in stabilising the local currency, whose value against the United States dollar has declined in the last few weeks due to speculative tendencies, as some of those driving up the black market switch to […]\n-\nNqobile Bhebhe Bulawayo Bureau THE on-going massive infrastructural development projects being implemented in Matabeleland region and across the country are testimony to the fulfilment of the ruling ZANU PF Government’s promise to the electorate and commitment to transform Zimbabwe. Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development, Dr Matthew Nyashanu, said […]\n-\nJoseph Madzimure Senior Reporter AFRICAN governments, including Zimbabwe should invest more in value addition and beneficiation of its minerals to realise the more value from its resources, Organisation for United Africa (OUA) secretary general Mr Tinos Dumba has said. He said African diamond and gold producing countries needed to increase beneficiation and value chain development […]\n-\n-\nTina Musonza Herald Reporter A review of the National Action Plan for Care of Orphans and Vulnerable is underway to enhance their protection against violence and other forms of abuse, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Professor Paul Mavima, has said. Prof Mavima said this during a high level policy dialogue on child protection […]\n-\nYoliswa Dube-Moyo Bulawayo Bureau THE construction of an Engineering Laboratory and Innovation Complex at Gwanda State University is set to spur mineral beneficiation and exploration initiatives as the country moves towards attaining a $12 billion mining milestone by 2023. The project dovetails with Government’s National Development Strategy (NDS1), which supports establishment of centres of excellence […]\n-\nBulawayo Bureau Massive road construction projects in Beitbridge, which dovetail with the ongoing US$300 million modernisation of the border post and being spearheaded by the Second Republic, have transformed the face of the border town. The modernisation of Beitbridge Border Post is among the top infrastructural projects aimed at stimulating economic transformation in line with […]\n-\nA major water project is being launched in Muzarabani as part of efforts to continue developing rural areas, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, said this week when commissioning infrastructure in the area.\n-\n-\nGibson Nyikadzino Herald Correspondent ZIMBABWE, through its engagement and re-engagement policy under President Mnangagwa, has an opportunity to be re-admitted into the Commonwealth of Nations nearly two decades after withdrawing its membership, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association president, Mr Brian Speers, has said. In 2003, Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth after former imperial power Britain internationalised […]\n-\nHerald Reporter Government has started implementing home-grown solutions to ensure local manufacture of fertilisers for increased wheat production as part of efforts to counter the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has impacted on global wheat and fertiliser stocks. The conflict has resulted in challenges with shipments of wheat and fertiliser, spurring shortages and pushing […]\n-\nEnacy Mapakame Business Reporter Listed hospitality group, African Sun Limited will commit a significant amount of capital this current financial year towards sprucing the image of its hotels as it repositions itself for the anticipated tourism rebound. The group has indicated one of its focus areas is enhancing guest experience and consolidating its market share. […]", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/category/vision-2030/page/2/"}

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+{"doc_id": "26a81edc884b57237b0e7d833e78c5ca", "text": "Johannesburg,\nPresident William Ruto is expected to address the third African parliamentarians Summit on Climate Policy and Equity hosted by the Pan- African Parliament in Midrand, Johannesburg South Africa, this week.\nThe aim of the two-day summit is to invigorate a critical mass of stakeholders to catalyse broad support of pro-poor just, equitable, locally-led and science based decisions in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) implementation and climate action.\nOn top of taking stock of the COP27 and overall Africa’s progress in the NDCs implementation since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the Summit will also interrogate the contentious issue of just transition and come up with recommendations to guide member countries on the direction which aligns with African countries.\nIn April, President Ruto challenged Pan African Parliament -PAP to be the continent’s stand bearer on issues affecting Africans which include Intra-African trade, climate change, democracy and good governance.\nEconomic growth\nDuring the meeting at State House Nairobi the President of Pan-African Parliament Chief Fortune Charumbira, the President asked the continental legislative organ to play a key role in the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFTA), which presents immense opportunities for exponential economic growth through trade and investment.\nThe implementation of the AfCFTA is in line with the African Union theme for 2023 “Year of Acceleration of the African Continental Free trade Area Implementation”.\nPresident Ruto said it was time for Africa to end the use of fossil fuels and embrace renewable sources of energy, given that the content has the largest untapped reservoirs if clean energy.\nThe second ordinary session of the Sixth Pan-African Parliament which started on Monday May 15, was officially opened by President Azali Assoumani of Comoros and who is Chairperson of the African Union gave a commitment of African Heads of State and governments to fully support the continental legislative house fully function.\nOn his part, the President of Pan-African Parliament Chief Charumbira decried continued underfunding of the institution which he says has slowed down operations and crippled some activities.\n“PAP is the only Parliament in the world where its members do not received sitting allowances, yet all other organs in AU get paid, Why? posed Charumbira. PAP's budget has been on the downward trend. Without the requisite budgetary support, the PAP remains a new vehicle, ready and raring to be driven but cripplrd by lack of fuel\"\nHe also decried the state of political instability in various countries in the continent saying its claw back on big democratic gains that had been made.\nSenate Speaker Amason Kingi who addressed the continental house said climate change, presently poses threats to humanity in dimensions and scale not contemplated before.\n“For humans and wildlife across the globe, the race for survival in the face of the adverse effects of climate change has never been more intense and desperate” Mr Kingi said.\nMr Kingi is accompanied by senators Tabitha Mutinda and William Kisang.\nKenyan representatives in the continental parliament are Esther Passaris, Majimbo Kalasinga, Rahab Mukami, Senators Danson Mungatana and Prof Margaret Kamar.\nAfrican Union’s Climate Change and Resilience Strategy (2022-2023) which stands out as a guide on matters climate action and green recovery, advocates for clarifying the role of the various AU structures and agencies involved in Climate policy, and for strengthening collaboration between the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) and the committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/africa/news/president-ruto-to-address-pan-african-parliament-in-south-africa-4235966"}

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+{"doc_id": "280af70f512510f092b10ac24366e8a2", "text": "President William Ruto has failed to actualise almost fifty per cent of the promises he committed to achieving in his first hundred days.\nRuto had promised to lower the cost of living, implement the hustler fund, have 50 per cent of Cabinet positions held by women and appoint judges rejected by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.\nHe also promised to implement the two-thirds gender rule, define the responsibilities of the Deputy President and Prime Cabinet Secretary, take action on corruption cases he claimed were politically instigated, fund counties in time and return port operations to Mombasa.\nOf the promises, only two directly touched on the people's welfare nationally and only one- the hustler fund- has been implemented.\nOut of the nine promises, President Ruto has fulfilled 56 per cent of them missing out on the critical issue of reducing the cost of living which keep rising.\nDuring his inauguration, the president scrapped the fuel subsidy that had cushioned Kenyans from the rising cost of living arguing that the country cannot sustain consumption subsidies in the coming months.\nKen Gichinga, the chief economist at the firm Mentoria Economics, criticises the government's decision to scrap the fuel subsidy which he said has played a major part in raising the cost of living and inflation.\n- Community health workers boost counties universal healthcare bid\n- Inside UON's digital health facility\n- Cabinet okays NHIF scrapping if four bills get MPs nod\n- Ruto reaffirms State's support for health sector under devolution\n\"Removing the subsidy on fuel was not a very sound decision because that's what has driven up inflation. When the cost of fuel goes up, everything goes up... that would have remained in place so that there is a bit of money circulating in the economy,\" argued Gichinga.\nHowever, the president has taken a different strategy of subsidising production where the government has allocated Sh3.55 billion to subsidise fertiliser for growing food crops during the short rains season.\nDuring the Jamuhuri Day celebrations on Monday, President Ruto said that the government will continue with the subsidy programme that has farmers buy a bag of fertiliser at Sh3,500 a bag. \"A consignment of two million bags has already landed at the port of Mombasa, and the remaining 4 million will arrive in the first week of January in time for the long rains,\" he said.\nFruits of the efforts in the agricultural sector are yet to be seen by many Kenyans who expected a drop in the price of maize flour once the new government took office.\nAlso, he president took a u-turn in having a gender-balanced Cabinet, breaking the promise he made in the Women's Charter signed in June 2022. Ruto has only seven women among the 22 Cabinet secretaries.\nNevertheless, Ruto sent proposals to the National Assembly to amend the Constitution and even proposed a formula that will guide the computation of the gender ratio in Parliament.\nCounties are still starved of funds for October, November and December yet he promised that counties will get funds without delay.\nThe president has been true to his promise of halting the investigation of cases he claimed were politically instigated. In the last two months, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has withdrawn cases against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Public Service and Agriculture Cabinet secretaries Aisha Jumwa and Mithika Linturi, respectively\nDespite the president's push for austerity measures by directing the Treasury to raise Sh300 billion from various ministries, little has been done to put in place a system to stem graft and budgeted corruption.\nGovernance expert Tom Mboya argues that dealing with corruption may open a gateway to economic recovery at a time Kenya is grappling with high inflation.\n\"We are losing more than Sh800 billion a year to corruption and official wastage. That is not sustainable. Aggressively dealing with that can register small but quick wins which can begin having the impetus to turn around the economy in a favourable direction,\" said Mboya.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001463167/ruto-clocks-100-days-but-bulk-of-promises-not-met"}

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+{"doc_id": "2933b8f22aec764e44fe72db3d99e991", "text": "‘China aims for 6,5pc economic growth over next 5 years’\nBEIJING — President Xi Jinping of China announced on Tuesday that the Communist Party and the national government had set a 6,5 percent target for annual economic growth from 2016 to 2020.\nThe announcement, an apparent attempt to temper expectations that China’s slowing economy will rebound to anything near the double-digit growth of recent decades, came as the party released the broad outlines of proposals for its next five-year plan.\nThat blueprint of its economic development was discussed at a recent party plenary session in Beijing and is expected to be completed next spring by the National People’s Congress, a legislature that grants proforma approval to party policy.\nIn declaring the target of 6,5 percent, Mr Xi was reiterating a figure that Prime Minister Li Keqiang had used in a speech on Sunday in South Korea.\nThe leaders say the target must be met for China’s gross domestic product and per capita income in 2020 to be double what they were in 2010.\n“China aims to narrow the income gap and raise the proportion of the middle-class income population in the next five years,” according to a report by Xinhua, the state news agency, on the proposals for the next five-year plan, which will be the 13th in the party’s history.\nChina’s gross domestic product per capita is about $7,800, the Xinhua report said, citing figures released on Tuesday. With nearly 1,4 billion people, China is the world’s most populous country. The current development plan, which runs from 2011 to the end of this year, set an annual growth target of about 7 percent.\nThe party said the proposals for the new plan aimed to, among other things, eradicate rural poverty (an “arduous task”); promote inclusion of the Chinese currency, the renminbi, in the International Monetary Fund’s basket of currencies; and attract foreign investment while encouraging more Chinese businesses to invest overseas.\nThe party also said that China would set up a “Green Development Fund” to promote clean industry and sustainable growth.\nThe proposals emphasised the need to strengthen conservative party ideology in public realms, an important goal under Mr Xi. For example, they called for cultivating a positive culture on the Internet and cleansing the online environment.\nAt the same time, the plan said China wanted to improve Internet speeds — a task seemingly incompatible, at least on a global level, with the country’s Great Firewall system of web censorship.\nThe proposals were approved after about 200 full members of the party’s Central Committee held a meeting for four days last month in a heavily guarded hotel in western Beijing.\nLast Thursday, during the session, the party announced that it was changing its one-child policy of family planning to a two-child policy in an attempt to stimulate economic growth.\nThe new policy is also expected to be approved by the National People’s Congress next spring and will go into effect afterward, although economists and demographers say they do not expect a big spike in the national birthrate.\nOn Tuesday, some critics expressed scepticism about whether any five-year plan could address the evolving complexity of China.\n“Rarely do people compare the plan and the eventual reality,” said Mao Yushi, chairman of the Unirule Institute of Economics in Beijing. “Not one five-year plan has unfolded as planned. Why? Because you can’t predict the problems five years from now.”\nThe Chinese economy grew 6,9 percent in the third quarter, relative to a year earlier, according to data released in October. That figure, while robust compared with those of advanced economies, was the slowest for China since the global financial crisis of 2009, and some economists say the economy is actually much weaker.\nMr Xi and Mr Li have said they want to shift China away from heavy industry and high investment toward a larger service sector and more consumer spending. But recent economic shakiness has fed doubts about whether they can smoothly manage that transition.\nThe annual plenary sessions of the Central Committee are part of the ritualised cycle of Chinese politics, giving top leaders a platform to win elite endorsement for their policies and to settle disagreements.\nMost famously, a plenum in late 1978 sealed Deng Xiaoping’s re-emergence as a dominant leader and opened the way to market overhauls that transformed the economy over the next decade.\nBefore the latest meeting, party propaganda depicted Mr Xi, who is also the general secretary of the party, as a visionary in the mold of Deng.\n“It is consistent with the broader trend of the C.C.P. General secretary acting as the ‘chairman of everything’ and ensuring his personal stamp is on every policy,” said Scott Kennedy, a researcher on Chinese economic policy at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington who has followed the drafting of the new five-year plan.\nAlthough China has shed many of the top-down economic controls of the Maoist era, the five-year plan still plays an important role in setting long-term goals, Mr Kennedy said.\nAfter the National People’s Congress endorses the plan next spring, ministries and agencies will issue more detailed strategies for making changes regarding energy, the environment, trade and other areas.\n“The plan serves as the most authoritative statement on the state’s priorities,” Mr Kennedy said. “The party, government agencies, financial institutions and companies then spend a great deal of effort aligning themselves with these priorities.” — AP", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/china-aims-for-65pc-economic-growth-over-next-5-years/"}

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+{"doc_id": "2a987e5ed3458354d276e261ec280b84", "text": "China-US trade war: Zero-sum game, a loss-loss confrontation\nSpecial Correspondent\nThe United States of America’s administration wielded tariffs as a “big stick” and coerced other countries into accepting its demands in the name of “America First”.\nThe US has launched investigations under the long-unused Sections 201 and 232 against its main trading partners, causing disruption to the global economy against the trend of multilateralism.\nSince August, 2017, it has launched a unilateral investigation under Section 301, accusing China of not being able to properly protect intellectual property and forcing foreign enterprises to transfer their technologies, which is totally unfounded. Though China is willing to resolve trade disputes with the US through dialogue and consultation, which is conducive to the interests and expectations from both sides, the US administration, however, has once and again breached the consensus reached in previous consultations, and imposed additional tariffs on Chinese goods exported to the US, upgrading the trade friction to a degree in no one’s favour.\nNeither side shall be the winner in the prolonged trade friction. International landscape today is no longer governed by zero-sum game. On the contrary, in a world where all countries’ interests are more intertwined than ever before, any party’s loss will impact the global economy as a whole. Given the large volume of intermediary goods and components from other countries in Chinese end-products exported to the US, US tariff hikes will hurt all the multinationals that work with Chinese companies, US companies included.\nTariffs hike is not a solution but a weapon, a weapon not to enemies, but to partners. Researchers found that, to avoid loss of customers, some enterprises have to afford part of the tariffs themselves, some others will do their best to reduce tariffs by way of entrepôt and processing trade or readjust their global supply chains at the expense of optimal resource allocation. Ultimately, customers and enterprises in both countries will suffer, slowing down bilateral trade and investment as a result since profits are shrinking.\nAccording to the research by the US National Retail Federation, the 25 percent additional tariffs the US imposed on furniture alone will cost the US consumer an additional US$4,6 billion per year.\nAccording to a joint report by the US Chamber of Commerce and the Rhodium Group in March 2019, due to the impact of China-US trade friction, US GDP in 2019 and the following four years could decrease by US$64-91 billion per year, about 0,3-0,5 percent of its total GDP. The International Monetary Fund also lowered its projection of 2019 world economic growth down to 3,3 percent from the 2018 estimate of 3,6 percent in its World Economic Outlook report published in April 2019, suggesting an even sagging world economy caused by the trade fiction.\nSo why is the US administration determined to launch the trade war at the cost of a possible recession of its own economy and pose threat to a looming world economy? Is it true that an emerging China will endanger US economic interests or world trade order? Economy and trade between China and US is not the main cause for China’s growth, nor is it the cause weakening US’s national power, but a driver for a balanced world economy instead.\nEric Fishwick, CLSA’s head of economic research, said that the China-US tariff battle isn’t just about Americans buying too many Chinese goods. This is really because China is the next geo-economic and geopolitical rival to the US, and the US is uncomfortable with that. China US trade war is not simply a war in trade or economical volume, but a war in political strength and influence.\nLooking back at US geopolitical strategic foreign policy, containmentism and cold war mentality remains as the features till today. The US policy-makers hold the view that only by keeping finding a rival and defeating it, could the US stay in absolute advantage and security till it reaches hegemony, its final goal.\nThe rival might not only mean a “hard power” giant in either military or economy, but also indicates a “soft power” threat who doesn’t buy in US value. Being a superpower for decades in post-Cold War era, US holds that its national interests is at risk if they fail to curb a potential hegemony, namely China, before it becomes too strong.\nThe pursuit of the ultimate power is uncompromising, thus a zero-sum game is inevitable. In its new National Security Strategy issued in December 2017, it addresses key challenges and trends that affect US world status, including revisionist powers, such as China, that use technology, propaganda, and coercion to shape a world antithetical to US interests and values, and to succeed in geopolitical competition, the US will protect its national security innovation base from intellectual property plagiarism and unfair innovation exploiting, to ensure its leading role in those fields. Uncertainty and insecurity by seeing a growing China touched the nerves of US, and they decided to resort to a trade war as the first step ahead.\nWith such a mindset, the US neglects the close partnership and complementarity in two-way trade and investment, while regards all China’s development as dangerous, arbitrarily interfering in normal economic activities. The current US administration is owing its domestic issues to the unbalanced trade with other countries, internationalising and politicising economic problems.\nChina became the primary target as the biggest source of US trade deficit. Trying to solve domestic problems and bring the manufacturing sector back home, the US adopted technological and industrial development policies whereas making unwarranted accusations against other countries’ industrial policies, attacking China’s “Made in China 2025” plan, accusing China of “stealing” IPR and violating world trade order, curbing China’s high-tech development by imposing sanctions on Chinese private owned technology companies, and using protectionist measures to unilaterally claim normal contractual technological cooperation as forced technology transfer.\nTo guard its own interests, the US adopted unilateralism in the name of America First. By using proactive expansive measures the US assorted to “long-arm jurisdiction” based on its domestic law, asserting influence on transnational corporations or even containing other countries’ economic development by impeding the free flow of goods, services and capital.\nThe US, as the biggest economy in the world, however, refused to shoulder its due responsibility in international community. It denies the trend of globalisation and defies multilateral mechanisms by withdrawing from JCPOA, the Paris Agreement on climate change, UNESCO and UNHRC. It is because the US deems that a fair and cooperative multilateralised world will constrain it from realising its selfish and aggressive aim, which is to keep its position as the one and only global leader.\nHistory has witnessed the vicissitudes of the changing world. China is not the only target the US attempted to contain. In the 1980s, the US administration launched 24 investigations under the auspices of Section 301 towards Japan, holding Japan responsible for the unbalanced bilateral trade, coercing the Japanese government to accept almost all demands and forcing Japan into signing the Plazza Accord, which led to the Japanese asset price bubble of the late 1980s.\nToday’s China is not Japan in the 1980s, but a dynamic economy second biggest in the world with a large market, a low degree of dependence on export, and a strong momentum of technological innovation. China does not want a trade war, but it is not afraid of one and it will fight one if necessary.\nActually speaking, the trade war ignited by the US also brought with it opportunities to China, in that China saw clearly of its own shortages in innovation and high-tech development, and realised the importance of a development path of self-independence.\nThe trade war comes when the world is at a crossroad, with one direction leading to the pursuit of hegemony, the other leading to cooperation for common development. No matter how far China develops, it will never seek hegemony.\nChina will never pursue development at the expense of others’ interests and China’s development does not pose a threat to any other country. China is a firm believer of multilateralism and a strong promoter and defender of globalisation. As the biggest developing country, China is devoted to its own development and is selflessly sharing its experience with other developing countries.\nThe Belt and Road Initiative initiated by China will continuously serve as an open platform to enhance connectivity between countries for a more prosperous world, and China’s gate for international cooperation will only open even wider, never shall it be deterred by any forms of deterrence.\nA Chinese proverb goes that “a just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds little”. Dialogue and consultation is the only correct choice for China and the US, and win-win cooperation is the only path to a better future. When the US and China work together, they can be the anchor of world stability and the propeller of world peace.\nChina doesn’t believe in the Thucydides Trap, nor did China be a self-fulfilling prophecy through a peaceful development path. China and the US should have confidence in each other and stick to cooperation on mutual interests.\nIt is hoped that the US, in the spirit of no conflict or confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation, pull in the same direction with China to strengthen trade and economic cooperation, work together on a new way of harmonious coexistence, healthy competition and cooperative win-win results, without being disturbed by disputes or differences, jointly advancing the sound development of China-US relations. — Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/china-us-trade-war-zero-sum-game-a-loss-loss-confrontation/"}

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+{"doc_id": "2bd925c8f854ba8d964dc0ba1bc3b9e2", "text": "Kenya risks losing funding from the Global Fund due to poor accountability and suspected quality in HIV testing, condoms and medicines.\nAn audit report by the Office of the Auditor General of Global Fund covering 2016 and 2017 tells of massive irregular payment to workers and project activities.\nMost worrying, the report says, up to a quarter of healthworkers are not following the required HIV testing procedures. This could mean a significant number of Kenyans may be getting false HIV results.\n“About 24 per cent of the 21 facilities visited do not consistently follow the national standardised HIV testing procedures or algorithms,” says the audit report published in November.\nNot tested for quality\nThe auditors found none of the testers had attended the annual refresher course as required and no supervision was being done.\nThe auditors found condoms worth ($6 million) Sh600 million procured by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) had not been tested for quality at the National Quality Control Laboratory as required.\nThey also report finding medicines worth ($3.8 million) Sh380 million stored by Kemsa in leaking warehouses along Commercial Street in Industrial Area.\nThe storage facilities at Commercial Street, the report says are sub-optimal: ‘the roof leaks and the warehouse floods during the rainy season.’\n“At the time of the audit, Global Fund commodities worth ($3.8 million) Sh380 million were stored in these sub-optimal conditions.”\nThis is despite Global Fund having allocated ($9.5 million) Sh950 million in 2016 for construction of a new warehouse which had not commenced by June 2018.\nThe auditors say they could not reconcile stocks worth ($1.9 million) Sh190 million at Kemsa because some of the expired medicines had been destroyed without adequate records.\nFor instance, the report says some destruction certificates issued only indicated that assorted items were destroyed without detailing the name of the medicines, quantities or the donor.\n“Kenya thus risks losing funds in line with Global Fund guidelines,” warns the audit.\nKenya Red Cross Society also a recipient of substantial funding from Global Fund is reported to be procuring defective needles and syringes worth ($470,000) Sh47 million.\nThe report says appropriate quality assurance had not been carried out before the devices were distributed to users.\n“The users reported defects and the devices had to be withdrawn,” says the report which has been shared with government.\nGlobal Fund, Kenya Government and other stakeholders, the report says have agreed on a course of actions to be implemented by December 2019 otherwise Kenya risks losing substantial funding.\nThe audit also unearthed cases where several donors are unknowingly funding the same project through the same implementor and getting the same reports.\nThere was also a case where Global Fund and another donor were unknowingly paying the same Community HealthVolunteers to perform the same activities and reported the same results to the different partners.\n“Further, over 400 community health workers receive multiple payments at different rates for the same activities under different Global Fund grants,” says the report.\nThe audit report also tells of another instance where the fund and another two donors are financing same 26 implementors for same work in same area.\nThe auditors also expressed disappointment with Kenya’s efforts in controlling tuberculosis (TB) having missed set targets for three years.\nThe auditors say although the fund has supported the procurement and roll out of GeneXpert machines for TB diagnosis less than half of their capacity is being utilised.\nThis, the report says is due to poor maintenance of machines and lack of diagnostic cartridges. Forty seven per cent of the machines were not functioning when the auditors visited hosting facilities.\n“In addition, the cartridges required by the machines were not consistently available in 18 of the 21 facilities visited by the auditors.”\nThough Global Fund had helped the country acquire additional 30 GeneXpert machines in mid-2017 these had not been installed a year later in 2018. In many cases the report found some machines, which require uninterruptible power supply had been delivered to facilities without power.\nOut of four performance indicators the audit shows Kenya to have performed poorly. Apart from procurement of medical commodities, Kenya scored poorly in quality and service delivery, governance and oversight within devolution and grant performance.\nThe national government is also blamed for poor funds absorption and programme delays of upto eight months. Because of these delays the report warns that Kenya risks losing some grants from Global Fund. In 2015 and 2016 the report shows about Sh1.8 billion was returned to the Treasury due to non utilisation despite funding gaps, says the report.\nSince 2003 Global Fund has signed over (S$1.4 billion) about Sh140 billion for Kenya and so far disbursed ($1 billion) Sh100 billion including an active grant for up to June 2021.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/reproductive-health/article/2001309972/health-workers-may-be-giving-you-false-hivaids-results"}

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+{"doc_id": "2d7f90528216b485e1fde7349df4c505", "text": "About Zimpapers\nZimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Ltd is the oldest newspaper publisher and commercial printer in Zimbabwe, as well as being the largest publisher of newspapers, having been in the industry since 1891. It publishes 13 newspaper titles and runs a Broadcasting Division.\nThe company is the proprietor of Zimbabwe’s leading daily newspapers, The Herald, The Chronicle and H-Metro. It owns two Sunday newspapers The Sunday Mail and The Sunday News.\nThe largest Provincial newspaper in Zimbabwe, The Manica Post, a weekly, anchors the Mutare unit. In recent decades; Zimpapers launched two newspapers in the country’s two main indigenous languages, Shona and Ndebele. Kwayedza, the Shona weekly is published in Harare while Umthunywa, the Ndebele weekly paper is published in Bulawayo.\nThe Zimpapers Group and New Era Newspapers of Namibia jointly launched a regional weekly newspaper; Southern Times in 2004.\nIn 2012 Zimpapers launched the country’s first commercial radio station, Star FM. It brought together the finest presenters and disc jockeys to start up and develop a fast growing and multi-faceted radio brand. Zimpapers added to its broadcasting portfolio with the launch of Diamond FM radio station in Mutare in 2016. Further expansion into broadcasting resulted in the introduction of the Zimpapers Television Network.\nZimpapers also publishes two magazines, Zimtravel covering tourism and Bridal Magazine; which looks at weddings and related issues. The Group has responded to emerging digital technologies and migration by creating innovative digital products that have increased its audience reach and enhanced the visibility of advertorial content.\nBesides being the biggest newspaper publisher in the country, Zimpapers is the only publisher and printer operating as a public company, having been floated on March 8 1927; then as the Rhodesian Printing and Publishing Company Limited. It changed its name in 1980 when Zimbabwe gained its Independence from colonial rule.\nThe 1927 launch incidentally makes it one of the oldest listings on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.\nFor more than 80 years, readers, have had the opportunity to buy and trade in the shares of “their newspaper”, – which has seen hundreds of smaller investors joining the big institutional investors in taking a stake in the equity.\nZimpapers has newspaper offices in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare and commercial printing works in Harare and Bulawayo. Gweru hosts a newspaper bureau and a commercial office, while journalists are stationed in bureaus across the country.\nThe Group also has a strong presence on digital publishing platforms, which is where the future lies.\nThe Vision\nTo be the leading integrated media, commercial printing and packaging company in Zimbabwe and beyond.\nMission Statement\nTo publish newspapers, magazines and books; produce print and packaging products as well as offer broadcasting services of the highest quality at competitive prices that add value to our stakeholders.\nCore Values\nTo ensure the prosperity and wellbeing of Zimpapers’ shareholders, employees and customers. In pursuit of its mission and vision, Zimpapers is guided by the following core values:\n- Customer success and satisfaction\n- Equal opportunity employment\n- Offer quality products and services\n- Efficiency\n- Good corporate governance\n- Profitability\n- Continuous innovation\nCapitalk FM\nNyaminyami FM", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/about-zimpapers/"}

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+{"doc_id": "2e01c91f4fc8d0e336df2c0dfed6270f", "text": "What you need to know:\n- Last week I joined leaders in policy, business and academia from around the world in Kampala for Africa’s largest blockchain conference.\n- A majority of the people have no clue what cryptocurrency is, let alone how it works. There are just a few excited people who will want to move with lightning speed. But it requires the courage of a few to speak out like the governor did.\n- Uganda has set aside resources to support innovation. No country, however, will succeed alone. The emerging business models require a significant population to make it.\n- In President Museveni we have that political will and hopefully we can rally behind him to get other African countries interested in these emerging technologies that will drive the upcoming fourth industrial revolution.\nLast week I joined leaders in policy, business and academia from around the world in Kampala for Africa’s largest blockchain conference.\nSome 700 delegates from 23 countries had converged at Kampala’s Serena Hotel to discuss the role of blockchain technology in Africa’s transformation. President Yoweri Museveni officially opened the conference.\nI considered my role as a keynote speaker ordinary. However, at dinner on the eve of the conference, someone whispered to me that I would moderate the presidential panel featuring President Museveni and Mauritian President Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim.\nAlthough I have worked around presidents before, this was different. President Museveni is unlike many presidents. He is sharp, witty and bluntly honest at times.\nI bade farewell to my colleagues at 11pm to start preparing for the next day’s speech and the panel moderation.\nWe agreed to meet at breakfast at 7.30am and be at the conference venue at 8am before the president’s arrived.\nMy strategy that night was to get as much data as possible for East Africa right in case the presidents were to seek clarification for my questions. It was getting to 3am when I slept.\nOLD SCHOOL\nMy phone rang at 8.30am in the morning.\n“What happened?” inquired Kwame, the event organiser.\n“Oh oh, I overslept!” I explained.\n“Please send your presentation,” he pleaded.\nBy the time I was arriving at the conference hall, it was 9am. Luckily, due to security arrangements, delegates were still queuing.\nI had some time to reset before giving my opening speech at 9.45am, followed by a panel discussion that was interrupted by the President’s arrival.\nOrganisers shifted the programme to opening ceremonies, inviting the minister for communication, Frank Tumwebaze, who invited the governor of the Bank of Uganda, Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, then Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda.\nI have in the past interacted with Frank and Rugunda on matters related to ICT. The minister’s speech was revolutionary and resonated with the audience, which wanted to hear the government’s position on cryptocurrencies.\nThe governor’s speech was from the old school of thought and took the audience through an introductory lecture in economics.\n“Money is a medium of exchange, a measure of value, a store of value …it will be risky to invest in cryptocurrency that is unregulated and undermines the role of central banks,” he inveighed.\n“Cryptocurrencies do not have the privilege of legal tender,” he declared.\nBANK GOVERNOR OUT OF TUNE\nHis speech dampened the spirit of the audience that was obviously looking forward to Uganda’s endorsement of the emerging financial disruptions.\nWhen President Museveni got to the podium, he did not waste time to declare his governor irrelevant in this day and age.\nHis largely off-the-cuff speech differed sharply with that of the governor. Sarcastically, he warned the governor not to be dogmatic. “Be inquisitive,” he advised.\nHe spent a great deal of time talking about the history of money over the past 3,000 years, from the origins of batter through the time Africans used cowrie shells as a medium of exchange to gold and silver.\nHe said that at some point there was a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account was based on a fixed quantity of gold.\nThis too was replaced by fiduciary (faith or trust) in paper money that is issued by central banks.\nHe, however, respected the governor’s views and explained areas of convergence in blockchain.\nIn his understanding, he likened blockchain to the cooperative movement, where people agree to work together for the common good and any party that fails the group’s trust threshold is thrown out.\nHe explained how the cooperative movement failed when only a few had the knowledge but the majority were mostly illiterate and were taken advantage of.\nIf this blockchain is to succeed, every participating member has to be equally knowledgeable, he concluded.\nAUTOMATING TRUST\nHe was right in his description of blockchain. It is indeed a process of automating trust, with all participating members having similar information.\nIn retrospect, both the president and the governor were right. A majority of the people have no clue what cryptocurrency is, let alone how it works.\nThere are just a few excited people who will want to move with lightning speed. But it requires the courage of a few to speak out like the governor did.\nIn so doing, we seek a middle ground that does not condemn the ignorant majority at the expense of a few, just like the cooperative movement did to Ugandans.\nEventually, the shape of currency will change. Cryptocurrency itself may become legal tender.\nTo facilitate digital transactions, perhaps we may consider some electronic token that translates to fiat currency one on one, just like M-Pesa.\nWe can then graduate to some other encrypted currency.\nThe president urged delegates to focus on four areas in order to help African economies to grow: agriculture, industry, services and ICTs.\nIn agriculture, Museveni said more than 68 per cent of Ugandans were involved in subsistence farming. They are not capable of using land to create wealth, he said.\nHe hoped that such systems could be used to transition farmers to large-scale production where they can create wealth.\nHe finished his speech by clearly differentiating cryptocurrency from the blockchain technology, which no one, including the governor, had a problem with.\nTHE VIEW FROM MAURITIUS\nThese were basically some of the issues that the conference was seeking to tackle. The delegates were ecstatic, giving him a standing ovation.\nAs the aides signalled me to move to the dais for the panel discussion, I was struck by temporary paralysis. What do I ask a man who understands all these emerging jargons?\nI nevertheless gathered myself and walked to the front. “Your Excellency, thank you for succinctly capturing what our purpose here today is all about. Your Excellency, these technologies are new innovations and will require new regulations, but before the law is made, we require legal sand boxes to enable us to move forward. Can you comment on this, sir?”\nHe was gracious in his response, offering to help in any way he can. Africa should not be left behind this time around, he said.\nHis many years of public experience had given him many examples that he took time to explain. I could not cut him short and it is one thing that had not featured in my planning.\nI had a small window to profusely thank him, and then turned to President Gurib-Fakim.\n“Your excellency, how do we foster collaboration in these emerging technologies that will drive the fourth industrial revolution?” I posed.\nThis affable academic-turned-politician had the answers at her fingertips. She talked about across-country, and industry-academic collaborations, and emphasised the role of women in these collaborations.\nENABLING ENVIRONMENT\nThen President Museveni interjected to share his broad experience. With the kind of support that the presidents were offering, it was clear that the challenge was in the hands of the young innovators to seek the support.\nUganda has set aside resources to support innovation. No country, however, will succeed alone. The emerging business models require a significant population to make it.\nFor example, blockchain is used in many countries to raise funds for start-ups to scale.\nIn our case, we need resources for both start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).\nIn this case, we need an enabling environment to issue the Initial Coin Offers (ICOs), the equivalent of Initial Purchase Offers (IPOs), in listed companies that can help raise funds for SMEs.\nThis will require guidelines for responsible and practical use of the digital assets framework throughout the African continent.\nIt needs just a few countries, possibly East Africa, to start, then it can be expanded to the rest of Africa.\nThe potential in Africa to leapfrog is enormous but what has been lacking in the past was political will.\nIn President Museveni we have that political will and hopefully we can rally behind him to get other African countries interested in these emerging technologies that will drive the upcoming fourth industrial revolution.\nThe writer is an associate professor at the University of Nairobi’s School of Business. Twitter: @bantigito", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/oped/blogs/dot9/ndemo/2274486-4584046-5exusuz/index.html"}

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+{"doc_id": "2f3f48f0b7dd29405c84347316cecbb2", "text": "President William Ruto’s pronouncements on the successes of the multi-billion-shilling Hustler Fund have elicited mixed reactions from the political class.\nRuto on Thursday said one year after its inception, the fund has disbursed Sh39.7 billion to Sh21.8 million people and mobilised Sh2 billion in savings. He added that total repayments stood at Sh28.75 billion, with the fund positively impacting the lives of Kenyans.\nLeaders from across the political divide have now chimed in on the financial inclusion programme, with the Raila Odinga-led Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition clashing with the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance on its efficiency.\nLegislators allied to Raila are now calling for the scrapping of the Hustler Fund while their Kenya Kwanza Alliance counterparts have moved to justify the positive impact the fund has had through the provision of cheap loans.\nSaboti MP Caleb Amisi yesterday discredited the gains of the fund terming it an ill-thought-out fiscal plan that should be abolished.\n“There is no change in the lives of Kenyans who have accessed the Hustler fund. There is no measurability to show what the fund has done in terms of the fund elevating a person’s life from one stage to the next,” said Amisi.\nHe likened the fund to “daylight thievery” by the current regime.\n- State set to publish new health insurance charges\n- Taking care of you: Mental well-being in a constantly changing world\n- Where are we on affordable food for Kenya's citizens?\n“When the fund was being implemented it had no economic planning and this rendered its implementation hot air. The fund should be abolished and the kitty turned into another fund for the less fortunate in society,” added Amisi.\nAlego Usonga MP Sam Atandi (pictured) dubbed the Hustler Fund a political tool for the Kenya Kwanza administration and questioned the loan amounts given to borrowers.\n“There is nothing serious happening around the Hustler fund. The amount of loans being issued is not enough to change the lives of the borrowers. The fund is a political tool for the Kenya Kwanza administration meant to keep it afloat and not meant to help Kenyans,” said Atandi.\n“The transformation Ruto promised is far off from what is happening on the ground. This is a busybody project that should be done away with. With loan amounts of Sh500, no meaningful development will come from the same.”\nKitui Senator Enoch Wambua questioned what the Kenya Kwanza administration sought to achieve with the programme.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/politics/article/2001486448/azimio-kenya-kwanza-mps-clash-over-hustler-fund"}

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+{"doc_id": "341885b909719b34c634d5e4e9a0d64c", "text": "The African Court on Human and People’s Rights has ordered the government to pay the Ogiek community Sh157 million in compensation for material and moral damages.\nIn ruling in Arusha, the judges dismissed objections by the government and ordered it to pay the community Sh57.8 million for material damages and Sh100 million for moral damages, including restitution.\n“…the court, in the exercise of its equitable jurisdiction, ordered that the respondent state must compensate the Ogiek with the sum of Sh57,850 000 for the material prejudice suffered.”\nThe court delivered its judgment on the merits of the application on May 26 2017. It found that the government had violated the rights of the Ogiek under Articles 1, 2, 8, 14, 17(2) and (3), 21 and 22 of the Charter.\nThe court also noted that the violations alleged by the Ogiek established in its judgment of May 26 2017 remained unaddressed up to the time it was considering reparations.\nTo ensure all registered Ogiek of Mau Forest benefit from the outcome of litigation, the court ordered the government to State to establish a community development fund for the Ogiek which should be a repository of all the funds ordered as reparations in the case.\nIt was further ordered that the community development fund should be used to support projects for the benefit of the Ogiek in health, education, food security, natural resource management and any other causes beneficial to the well-being of the Ogiek as determined from time to time by the committee managing the fund.\n“The respondent state was thus ordered to take the necessary administrative, legislative and any other measures to establish this fund within 12 months of the notification of this judgment.”\nThe court held that comprehensive reparations needed to take into account harm suffered by the Ogiek in relation to the infringement of their rights. In the present application, the court noted that while it was not possible to allocate a precise monetary value equivalent to the moral damage suffered by the Ogiek, nevertheless, it could award compensation that provided adequate reparation.\nIn determining reparations for moral prejudice, the court confirmed that it takes into consideration the reasonable exercise of judicial discretion and bases its decision on the principles of equity.\nThe court confirmed that moral prejudice includes the suffering and distress caused to the direct victims and their families, and the impairment of values highly significant to them, as well as other changes of a non-pecuniary nature, in the living conditions of the victims or their family.\nThe government had asked the Court to allow it to consider ordering an amicable settlement but the court dismissed the plea.\n“In the present application, given the failure of an amicable settlement procedure at the merits stage, and also the parties’ failure to agree on the procedure at the reparations stage, the court held that the conditions for an amicable settlement were not satisfied. The respondent state’s prayer was thus dismissed,” part of the ruling read.\nThe government had opposed Ogiek’s prayer for restitution of their ancestral land in Mau Forest by means of delimitation, demarcation and titling noting that the community had misinterpreted the findings of the court in relation to the ownership of the Ogiek ancestral land.\nStay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001448695/african-court-awards-ogiek-sh157m-in-land-rights-case"}

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+{"doc_id": "3452b0ef336d515eaf9b3045bbb4357a", "text": "Botswana’s annual diamond sales jump\nSales of rough diamonds by Debswana Diamond Company jumped 64 percent in 2021, statistics released by the Bank of Botswana showed on Monday, driven by the reopening of key global consumer markets.\nThe total value of Debswana’s diamond exports stood at US$3,466 billion in 2021 compared with US$2,120 billion in 2020, the central bank data showed.\nDebswana, a joint venture between Anglo American unit De Beers and Botswana’s government, sells 75 percent of its output to De Beers with the balance taken up by the state-owned Okavango Diamond Company.\nDebswana sales fell by 30 percent in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic hit demand while global travel restrictions impacted trading.\nSince mid-2020 De Beers has shifted some of its rough diamond viewings to international diamond centres such as Antwerp to cater for customers unable to travel to Gaborone.\n“Demand for rough diamonds remained robust, with positive midstream sentiment and strong demand for diamond jewellery continuing over the holiday period, particularly in the key U.S. consumer market,” Anglo American said in a production update last Thursday. Debswana accounts for almost all Botswana’s diamond exports, with Lucara Diamond Corp’s Karowe mine being the only other operating diamond mine in the country.– Reuters.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/botswanas-annual-diamond-sales-jump/"}

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+{"doc_id": "349b951409561d9260fe7678f0fbd4e9", "text": "-\nClickatell (https://bit.ly/3yfdmhr), a leader in mobile communications and Chat Commerce (https://bit.ly/3GqJr8U), collaborated with senior executives across the CPaaS, CCaaS, and Digital Commerce industries to predict the stand-out trends for 2022. The responses point to the consolidation of all three sectors into a single new sector called Chat Commerce. The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation […]\n-\nAmerican multinational energy corporation Chevron has signed an agreement with the government of Equatorial Guinea for Block EG09 – located in the Douala Basin on the border of Cameroon. Representing a notable achievement for both Chevron as it moves to increase its penetration in the Equatorial Guinean market, and the country itself in its journey […]\n-\nVerdant Capital (Verdant-Cap.com) has been named by Private Equity Africa as the best Local Financial Adviser for 2021. Private Equity Africa, or PEA is an authoritative journal for private equity investors in Africa and into Africa. Now in its 10th year, the PEA awards are the ultimate accolade of success in the African Private Equity […]\n-\nThe print industry in Africa and the Middle East is growing despite predictions; Digital printing and personalisation are major growth drivers; Sustainability is high on the print industry agenda. The future of print in a digital world was in question even before COVID-19. Yet, according to regional experts, in discussion at a special edition of […]\n-\n-\nMeta (https://about.facebook.com/Meta/) today released its ‘2021 Africa Year in Review’, an infographic capturing some of the company's significant investments and initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa this year – focused on driving innovation, connecting communities, helping businesses to grow and supporting the tech and creator ecosystem. The infographic highlights key Meta successes and milestones across the region, […]\n-\nFollowing the launch of the new International Standard, ISO 37000, FluidRock Governance Academy (www.FluidRock.co.za) and Candor Governance have announced the availability of their virtual course entitled ISO 37000 Governance of Organizations Course, Foundations Level. FluidRock Governance Academy and Candor Governance have partnered to deliver the training globally. The international standard, ISO 37000, provides guidance for […]\n-\nJumeirah Group (www.Jumeirah.com) today unveiled its latest ultra-luxury resort; an avant-garde superyacht architectural design with unmatched experiential spaces, that will charter a new era for luxury hospitality. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, planned to open in 2023, will lead a new generation of Jumeirah Group’s ultra-luxury portfolio. Known for its exceptional service and unparalleled hospitality, Jumeirah […]\n-\nJumeirah Group (www.Jumeirah.com) today unveiled its latest ultra-luxury resort; an avant-garde superyacht architectural design with unmatched experiential spaces, that will charter a new era for luxury hospitality. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, planned to open in 2023, will lead a new generation of Jumeirah Group’s ultra-luxury portfolio. Known for its exceptional service and unparalleled hospitality, Jumeirah […]\n-\n-\nRadisson Hotel Group (https://bit.ly/3ozC7Sl), one of the world’s leading hotel groups, looks optimistically towards 2022 as it positively culminates the year with numerous milestones achieved in Africa over the past twelve months. The Group set a record in the continent this year with 14 signings to date, adding over 2,500 rooms to its African portfolio. […]\n-\nDHL (www.DHL.com) to meet growing demand for transport, logistics solutions in Algeria and north Africa; The logistics leader to open an additional office in Oran as part of its growth plans. Following its recent expansion in North Africa, DHL Global Forwarding, the leading international provider of air, ocean, and road freight services, has announced it […]\n-\nDHL (www.DHL.com) to meet growing demand for transport, logistics solutions in Algeria and north Africa; The logistics leader to open an additional office in Oran as part of its growth plans. Following its recent expansion in North Africa, DHL Global Forwarding, the leading international provider of air, ocean, and road freight services, has announced it […]\n-\nBank One (www.BankOne.mu) announced that it won the Best Mass Affluent Banking Offering award in the Service Innovations category at the Global Retail Banking Innovation Awards 2021 (GRB21) organised by the Digital Banker. Every year, The Digital Banker celebrates “the world’s most cutting-edge retail banks that are pioneering unrivalled standards and capabilities and are transforming […]\n-\n-\nIn a move upending the hottest part of the fintech market, two of the world’s leading issuer processors – Paymentology (www.Paymentology.com) and Tutuka – are merging to create a new payments and card processing powerhouse. Operating under the Paymentology name, the merger creates a new force in payment solutions; giving banks and fintechs the technology, […]\n-\nThe legal action filed on behalf of investors alleges that Hawilti and its French Citizen Director, Mickael Vogel knowingly deceived investors in 2019 to collect funding for the business without having any intentions of giving out shares. Hawilti has fought mightily to keep all data and agreements away from its African investors that financed the […]\n-\n100% black-owned energy infrastructure company, DNG Energy (www.DNG.Energy), announced today that it is commencing the delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to commercial customers in the industrial, transport, marine and power sectors. This new and affordable energy alternative and it is the culmination of 7 years of planning, permitting and licensing efforts, which heralds the […]", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/category/companies-news/"}

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+{"doc_id": "34b00add737f50f51634badeff5ddbb1", "text": "As the world convenes in Dubai for COP28, developing countries will be looking out for opportunities to scale up action against the “loss and damage” arising from climate change.\nThe principle of “Loss and Damage” acknowledges the irreversible adverse impacts and economic losses already underway as a result of years of denial and lack of attention to climate change issues. Unfortunately, the most vulnerable are least equipped to fight climate change.\nHence, we expect Africa to be among priority beneficiaries, given that the continent has contributed the least to the global climate crisis, estimated at 3 per cent, yet suffers the most significant losses due to its limited adaptive capacities. Agriculture in Africa, heavily reliant on rainfall, bears the brunt of climate-related damages, impacting energy production, water resources, the environment, and infrastructure.\nThese challenges lead to suppressed GDP, forcing governments to redirect resources to food imports, social protection and aid.\nIn countries heavily reliant on agriculture, constituting over 43 per cent of GDP in 2018, these impacts can slash national GDP by up to 4 per cent annually. From 1990 to 2019, floods and droughts notably hampered African countries’ GDP per capita. Covid-19 and global security issues have further exacerbated these challenges, reducing the average national GDP by up to 10 per cent.\nThe situation is dire in highly vulnerable regions of the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and countries along the Equator, which continue to suffer inter-annual and longer-term changes in rainfall patterns, extreme temperatures, recurring droughts, floods, dust storms, and heatwaves, among others.\nThese adverse conditions and more frequent extreme climate events make it difficult for farmers to produce, store, and market food, leading to increased food shortages that cause price volatility. African countries have increased debt levels, and this, combined with the severe climate shocks, is likely to impede growth and threaten decades of developmental progress.\nAt COP27 in Egypt last year, the decision to create the Loss and Damage Fund represented a historical breakthrough, recognising the injustices in distributing the burden of responsibility. The Fund aims to finance developing countries deal with negative consequences of climate change and help them rebuild physical and social infrastructure.\n- Amid climate change, mosquitoes migrate; will malaria follow?\n- Kenyan scientist elected as vice chair of global Climate panel\n- Health adversely hit by climate change, experts say\n- US researchers push front lines of mosquito control as planet warms\nSo far, negotiations have been underway to address the many considerations required to operationalise the Fund. We appreciate the consensus to host the Fund at the World Bank for four years. However, recognising the urgent need for a coordinated response, it is the hope and expectation of many that leaders at COP28 will raise the financial resources required to activate the Fund, and establish a clear timeframe for its operationalisation.\nFrom an African perspective, critical considerations for COP28 regarding the Loss and Damage Fund encompass various crucial aspects. These include urgency of speed and urgent action to address severe and irreversible climate consequences, underlining the historical context of climate funds that took years to become effective.\nAdditionally, Africa advocates strong, robust, and flexible compensation mechanisms, highlighting the importance of clear criteria, transparency and accountability.\nThe Fund’s replenishment involves targets for regular replenishment from high-emission countries, international donors, development agencies, and philanthropic organisations, aligning with its vision for effective operation. Private sector involvement is encouraged through public-private partnerships, climate bonds, insurance, and CSR initiatives.\nUltimately, stakeholders must work for an independent oversight body for the Fund, since the governance of the Fund by the World Bank is temporary. Global leaders must ensure the Loss and Damage Fund becomes a catalyst for recovery and sustainable development.\n-Ms Kalibata is AGRA president and Mr Sene is MD of AFS Forum", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/opinion/article/2001486577/loss-and-damage-fund-must-work-for-africa"}

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+{"doc_id": "3695293941c19a6869490bf60b615e2a", "text": "Border skipping returnees a risk to us all\nLeroy Dzenga Features Writer\nThere have been reports that truck drivers are smuggling returnees from neighbouring countries.\nUsing their familiarity and friendships formed over the years, truck drivers are finding it easy to bypass health and security officials at borders.\nThey are using trickery in delivering their dangerous consignment.\nOne truck driver said they are getting what would ordinarily be enough airfare from South Africa to Zimbabwe.\n“People are willing to pay as much as US$150 to come back home.\n“If I bring two people every week, I get US$300 a week.\n“I can manage to finish my house,” one truck driver said.\nOne observation though was most of the people reaching out to truck drivers for “assistance” are youthful.\nSome who had gone to look for greener pastures in foreign lands saw their plans being thrown in disarray by the Covid-19 pandemic.\nBeing far from home without guarantees of your next meal is difficult, this is why even the closure of borders has left a window open for returnees.\nAll governments across the globe have not closed out citizens as there is no better place than home in times of crisis.\nIn Zimbabwe’s case, there has been State-funded quarantine upon return.\nThis helps authorities have an idea on the scale of the disease and apply mitigation strategies based on accuracy.\nA national response devoid of intricate data may not yield intended results.\nPeople sneaking into the country outside Government radar are threatening to dislodge Zimbabwe’s good standing against the Covid-19 disease which had otherwise been well handled.\nAs travellers return home, there is need to rewrite some of the unwritten pacts in our society.\nThese are not normal times.\nIt takes a village to raise a child, but the same village risks being wiped to extinction if it lets people return under dubious circumstances.\nCommunities should demand to see documentation confirming returnees having been satisfied to leave quarantine centres.\nWhen there is opacity, it is in the community’s best interest that it alerts authorities.\nThis is key for a number of reasons.\nCovid-19 is a disease with no precedent.\nWhat it means is there is no concrete knowledge on its progression, this is why countries are being affected differently.\nOne thing that is for certain, there is a real threat of health systems being overwhelmed.\nNo country in the world has been able to fully prepare for the virus and the subsequent disease, health systems have been put under pressure.\nChina had to expeditiously build hospitals, Italy was pressurised to the extent doctors had to decide on helping younger people affected by the disease instead of the elderly.\nOur health system was in the process of finding its feet again when this pandemic happened.\nThis means a sustained Covid-19 assault may have casualties.\nThere have been efforts to beef up existing hospitals, but even that may not be enough in the event of a full-scale Covid-19 outbreak.\nAuthorities are currently seeking resources, working with numbers currently under their watch.\nFor example, if the disease spreads in Mufakose because Joe from Polokwane decided to be deviant, it means the resources may not meet demand in time of need.\nThe same applies to those who are running away from quarantine centres after admission, they are not doing themselves, their loved ones and their community any favours.\nIf anything, there should be a law that criminalises evading quarantine and keeping quiet knowing that someone did not go through the necessary checks.\nThis is the only way the country can navigate the risk brought forward by returnees.\nWith the way Covid-19 is highly infectious, silence can be fatal.\nThis is not to suggest that all returnees are infected, results have shown that most of them do not have coronavirus, which causes Covid-19.\nBut health interventions cannot be subject to expediency.\nOf course, there have been concerns over some of the quarantine facilities, but it would be a miscalculation if we prioritise one’s comfort over public health.\nGovernment is awake to the concerns in quarantine, this led to them inviting private players to provide their own facilities to those with the capacity to pay.\nThey even reduced days for mandatory quarantine in facilities, citizens can now do eight days in a Government facility and the remaining 13 days are done at home.\nWith all these compromises, time has come for citizens to meet Government halfway and play their part.\nThey should alert people who return under opaque circumstances, alert authorities through toll free numbers 2019 and 2023.\nKeeping quiet in times like these can be fatal in that probability dictates that the virus spreads within its surrounding environs.\nThe closer someone is to those infected, the higher their chances of contracting the disease.\nNot to say everyone returning from the Diaspora is infected, a lot of people have come out of quarantine and have self-isolated at home until they reach the 21-day mark.\nIt simply is in the best interest of the country that people use designated entry points and follow due diligence as is required by law.\nYouths ought to know better or the revered access to information may be going to waste.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/border-skipping-returnees-a-risk-to-us-all/"}

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+{"doc_id": "3928efb009773d158b1db3c19987ffcd", "text": "You just recharged but you’re not sure how much airtime you have left. Or you bought a data bundle last week and you want to know if it’s still active. Here’s a quick guide to checking your balance on all three Zimbabwean networks.\nEconet\nDial *125# to check your USD and ZiG airtime balance plus expiry dates. For data bundles, dial *143# and look for the balance enquiry option.\nThere’s also *121#, which shows both your USD and ZiG airtime balances in one go. Some people find this one easier to remember.\nIf you’d rather skip USSD menus entirely, the My Econet app (available on Android and iOS) shows your airtime, data, and SMS balances on one screen.\nNetOne\nDial *134# for your airtime balance (both USD and ZiG) and data balance including expiry dates.\nFor USD bundles specifically voice, data, social media, combos, dial *379# and select the balance enquiry option.\nNetOne also has *171#, which is a broader menu covering airtime, bundles, and balance enquiry all in one place. It’s the Swiss Army knife of NetOne USSD codes.\nTelecel\nTelecel splits things by currency. Dial *124# for your USD airtime balance. Dial *146# for your ZiG airtime balance.\nFor a general balance enquiry that covers everything, *122# also works.\nA few things worth knowing\nUSSD codes work without mobile data or Wi-Fi. They run on the basic GSM network, so even kambudzi or ndorindori (a basic feature phone) can dial them. This is one reason USSD remains so important in Zimbabwe. It’s the one service that works everywhere there’s signal, no smartphone required.\nDialling these codes is free. You won’t be charged airtime just for checking your balance.\nOne common frustration is that sometimes the USSD session times out before you finish navigating the menu, especially during peak hours. If this happens, just try again. Have your menu selection ready before you dial so you can respond quickly.\nWe maintain a full list of USSD codes for all three networks, banks, and other services here.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.techzim.co.zw/2026/03/how-to-check-your-airtime-data-balance-on-econet-netone-and-telecel-ussd/"}

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+{"doc_id": "39bce7a53ca07ce80401ab2b27cbd31f", "text": "Call to incentivise investment in renewable energy\nProsper Ndlovu Bulawayo Bureau\nGovernment and the private sector should increase support for local engineers to develop cost effective domestic renewable energy solutions, which largely remain inaccessible to the majority of citizens because of the prohibitive costs.\nAs more companies and individual households are turning to solar and other renewable energy alternatives in view of crippling power cuts, experts have said the cost remained heavy on the consumer.\nSchweppes Holdings managing director Mr Charles Msipa said Zimbabwe could swiftly tackle the energy deficit gap through incentivising adoption of renewable energy solutions.\n“We are looking forward to a time when green energy will not cost a premium and urge authorities to incentivise the investment in renewable energy for local businesses,” he said.\n“This will have significant national benefits of increased power generation, of which the excess can be channelled to the national grid for the benefit of communities.\nMr Msipa is a former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president. He challenged Government and the private sector to plough more resources towards research and development that would capacitate local engineers to produce renewable energy equipment locally.\nPresently, Zimbabwe heavily relies on imports for solar gadgets, which drains the little forex available in the economy.\n“Cost effective renewable energy solutions are essential for making it more accessible to the vast populous and general economic development,” he said.\n“A good starting point for innovation is lower cost option of batteries for harnessing solar energy.”\nLast Friday, Schweppes officially commissioned a US$2 million 1MW solar plant at its Willowvale factory in Harare in partnership with Distributed Power Africa (DPA) through a power lease agreement that runs for years.\nEnergy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi, who presided over the event, was told that the cost of the solar equipment for the company was on the higher side and prohibitive. “The current cost of batteries for this plant is three times the cost of the solar panels themselves, and with replacement required every four years, it is very prohibitive,” said Mr Msipa.\n“We have very capable engineers and institutions who can be supported and encouraged to develop solutions to some of these challenges.”\nIn view of persistent power cuts, Schweppes expects the solar plant to ensure reliable power supply for its main operations during the day, reduce demand on the national grid, save on utility bills and have green energy in support of our organisational sustainability goals in line with environmental, social and economic pillars of growth.\nMr Msipa, who also chairs the Business Council for Sustainable Development Zimbabwe, called on industry to adopt clean technologies in line with the global patterns of production and consumption.\n“In these modern times, businesses have a major role to play in ensuring that global sustainable development is realised,” he said.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/call-to-incentivise-investment-in-renewable-energy/"}

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+{"doc_id": "3b6989be7ab9e61f77ed1ddd888e84ad", "text": "By some strange coincidence, the world celebrates toilets and men on November 19 every year. This year, residents of Tudor Ward presented Mombasa County Assembly Members with feaces ceremonially wrapped in a beautiful box and an open letter. Their demand was simple and in line with the theme this year. The Mombasa County Government must not leave any behind, behind.\nDespite progress globally, struggling to find a clean, safe and available toilet is still a familiar experience for many of us. Four out of seven people on the planet don’t have a safe way of managing the 350 million tonnes of human waste they produce annually. A total of 670 million people regularly relieve themselves in open spaces.\nFifty-six years after independence, more than 61 per cent of Nairobians live in a one room unit and only 4 per cent live in homes with more than four rooms. Only 62 per cent of Nairobians use a flushing toilet, 32 per cent use pit latrines and 6 per cent use open spaces or other means. Six hundred kilometres away, Muoroto community members decided to do something this year about the lack of toilet access.\nMuoroto is an informal settlement in Tudor water-front. Ten thousand human beings live, trade and work here. They have one public toilet, no waste management sewage system or access to public drinking water. They buy 20 litre jerry cans for between Sh50 and Sh100. Like any other informal settlement in the country, being poor is not only undignified, it is also expensive.\nSocial housing\nMuoroto is already within the sights of the Mombasa County government and national government. Under social housing and slum upgrading programmes, it has been indicated that they may be relocated to new houses after the upgrading of Mombasa’s ten old council estates. The draft Beach Management County Bill may bring its own risks. It remains to be seen whether these initiatives will not further displace and impoverish this community and others. In the meantime, the good men and women of the Mombasa County Assembly could prioritise water and sanitation for the Muoroto in the County Integrated Development Plan and Budget.\nExperts tell us toilets save lives, protect our dignity and create opportunities for others. There is also a feminist lens to this. On average, women empty their bladder more regularly and take at least 30 seconds longer than men. They also use toilets to change sanitary pads and care for children. Modern female toilets usually have two to three more supplies than male toilets. Yet men usually enjoy more facilities than women and trans-gender and inter-sex persons have none. A men’s toilet with a cubicle and five urinals is usually allocated the same space as three cubicles in the women’s toilet. Yes my brothers, this is the reason women’s queues are usually longer and women take longer.\nToilets are not just an issue of equity, they are also a matter of rights and dignity. For decades, slum neglect and then demolition has been a well-established cruel technique of political and social control. Governments have failed to provide meaningful levels of water and sanitation to people living in slums and informal settlements. Treating some human beings differently from others without an objective, reasonable and humane argument is discriminatory and irresponsible. If essential services cannot be supplied to areas that are unsuitable for people to live, then the government should provide a minimum level of sanitation as they develop resettlement plans to new locations where they can.\nFailure to do this will open the door for more creative and direct actions by residents in the same situation as Muoroto. Where could this end? Processions of parents dropping off their children at county headquarters to be schooled, relatives dropping off their sick or dead who need treatment or burials they cannot afford and citizens relieving themselves on the county governor’s official car. Another creative idea could be to hang signs on all public toilets on World Toilet Day that say, “Closed today in solidarity with 670 million people.” Let us not get there.\nSanitary and right to water and health standards, framed by our Constitution, the Public Health Act and building codes, should be rigorously enforced, accelerated and invested in. Within five kilometres of most residents and State Officers reading this article there is an informal urban settlement or a rural village that is denied the most basic of services, a safe and clean toilet. Think about this the next time you visit a toilet.\n- Irungu Houghton is Amnesty International Executive Director. [email protected]", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001350471/access-to-toilets-is-a-matter-of-equity-rights-and-dignity"}

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+{"doc_id": "3cb849029bda9c192f72c94e3ec9ef6d", "text": "What you need to know:\n- Under food security, there is fertile ground to finance adoption of new technologies and climate-smart approaches in agriculture.\n- We must now shift from discourse to implementation, especially at the county level and across the private sector.\nThe pursuit of a green and circular economy in Kenya is an idea whose time has come.\nAbout 42 per cent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product and approximately 70 per cent of the total employment is drawn from natural resources and related sectors. These include agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, mining, forestry and fishing.\nThese sectors are sensitive to climate variability, making the economy vulnerable.\nStructurally, the transition to a green economy is on course. A Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (GESIP), offering low carbon and resource efficient solutions, has been developed to reinforce the country’s economic blueprints, including Vision 2030 and the Big Four Agenda.\nHowever, in Kenya and the world over, the pursuit and shift to a green economy has been a journey weighed by challenges, mostly financial and policy in nature.\nCLIMATE CHANGE\nThe Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that between now and 2030, an additional Sh60 trillion infrastructure investment is needed, per year, to meet the Paris agreement climate change goals across energy, transportation and other sectors.\nIn Kenya alone, the cost of climate change adaptation has been estimated at Sh2.3 trillion annually over the next 10 to 20 years.\nTo make those billions more realistic, climate change adaptation will cost Kenya the same amount as installing a new standard gauge railway every year.\nIf we don’t make this investment to climate proof our economy, millions of jobs will be lost by 2030 and millions of Kenyans will be displaced by extreme weather patterns.\nAgainst these conditions, among the many emergent innovations proposed through GESIP is the introduction of climate-aligned finance.\nAlready being used successfully in other countries to fund projects that in turn help reduce carbon emissions, enhance resilience and create employment, green finance comes in several forms including loans from development finance institutions such as African Development Bank and IFC, mezzanine finance, which is structured as debt that can be converted into equity, and the increasingly popular green bond.\nINNOVATION\nThere are reasonable prospects for green finance in actualising the Big Four Agenda. Under food security, there is fertile ground to finance adoption of new technologies and climate-smart approaches in agriculture.\nWeather index insurance, through which farmers can be cushioned against adverse weather conditions, is another innovation.\nEnergy efficient initiatives, renewable energy and recycling are all green manufacturing areas that require significant financing.\nUnder housing, an avalanche of financing opportunities exist that can engender affordable green technology housing concepts to realise the one million new houses plan.\nThe Park Road project which features 30,000 units is an excellent window to “green” the affordable housing pillar. In fact, all housing under this agenda should be green certified.\nGREEN BONDS\nSignificant work remains to create the requisite policy and institutional framework needed for green finance innovation to thrive and inspire uptake by both local and foreign investors.\nProgressively, the Capital Markets Authority has updated its issuer guidelines to include green bonds and National Treasury has signalled the intent to utilise green bonds in Kenya’s development agenda.\nWe must now shift from discourse to implementation, especially at the county level and across the private sector. As the late Prof Wangari Maathai said, sustainable development is an idea whose time has come.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/oped/opinion/Instead-of-raising-taxes--issue-green-housing-bond/440808-5109788-lcw7tdz/index.html"}

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+{"doc_id": "3e53dca0ebae87c114f8e68a3f6f587d", "text": "The Government is set to give banks a run for their money again as the National Treasury seeks to borrow directly from the public to plug the gaping budget deficit.\nTreasury yesterday reopened the mobile-based M-Akiba infrastructure bond targeting Sh250 million for the security that matures in the next one and a half years.\nThe bond offers a return of 10 per cent without taxes and can be purchased for as low as Sh3,000 via the mobile phone.\nIt will be on sale up to March 8 and will be listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) four days later on March 12.\nThe latest bond issue is expected to attract depositors who have been earning peanuts on their deposits from banks. Lenders had been adjusting their rates on savings downwards even before Parliament removed the floor on the lending rates, allowing banks to pay less for depositors’ cash which they use to do business.\nCentral Depository and Settlement Corporation Chief Executive Rose Mambo said they are hopeful the new issue will exorcise the ghosts of the last issue that flopped badly.\n“We have identified a lot of areas of improvement, including publicity and marketing,” said Ms Mambo at the launch in Nairobi.\nWhen Treasury first tested the waters with an issue of a Sh150 million M-Akiba bond, it got 100 per cent uptake. The issue was a world’s first and was aimed at expanding the pool of investors as the Government sought money for infrastructure projects.\nHowever, a subsequent Sh1 billion infrastructure bond with a Sh4 billion Greenshoe raised only Sh247 million from the market.\nA Greenshoe is an option allowing the underwriter to sell more shares to investors than were originally agreed.\nNSE Chief Geoffrey Odundo said they intend to issue the rest of the programme (Sh4.6 billion) in four tranches depending on the performance on the current issue.\n“If we get this one successfully, we will probably go for a bigger tranche,” said Mr Odundo.\nIf the mobile bond programme picks, it may challenge lenders who are not giving any returns on small deposits especially after the 70 per cent charge specified in the rate cap law was removed.\nSterling Capital researchers said banks took steps to reduce their credit expense once interest rate floors were introduced.\nAmong the steps was a reclassification of interest-earning accounts that did not require a new minimum into non-interest bearing transactional accounts.\nStay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter\nIn addition, banks, especially top tier banks, took the deliberate action of looking for current as opposed to savings and fixed deposit accounts, with some rejecting expensive interest-earning accounts altogether.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001314412/state-makes-third-stab-at-m-akiba-with-sh250m-offer"}

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+{"doc_id": "404ae8dbee25ef0ca005ff7e28dcd7cb", "text": "Another telecoms tariff hike looms?\nTawanda Musarurwa\nZimbabwe’s telecommunications sector could soon be agitating for another increase in both data and calling rate tariffs in view of a general consensus between the players and the regulator – the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) – that the current tariffs are lagging behind inflation.\nAn inflationary environment, largely as a result of a depreciating local currency, has in some instances, created a dislocation between fundamentals and pricing dynamics.\nEarlier last year, telecoms firms are said to have requested an over 40 percent increase in tariffs that Potraz turned down on the basis of needing to maintain a balance between affordability for consumers and viability for the businesses themselves.\n“Due to the inflationary conditions in the country, tariffs are lagging behind inflation,” said Econet chairman Dr James Myers recently.\nAnd although there has been an outcry from telecoms services consumers that data prices are too high, the regulator has maintained that the tariffs are fair, but appear to be high due to weakening disposable incomes.\nSaid Potraz director-general Dr Gift Machengete at the close of last year’s fourth quarter:\n“The prices of data are not high. You know why, because our salaries are low. Our salaries are not increasing in accordance with inflation, so what has happened is that last year this time the disposable income was something else now it has been eroded and because of that erosion of the disposable income it now appears as though the data prices are high and people are failing to afford so it’s a question of affordability, people are now failing to afford the data but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s too high.”\n“It is high because our disposable incomes have gone down, so I actually think that we have also to do something about the disposable income so that they go up because when you compare our data prices with the data prices of other countries around us we are actually far much below others but the difference is they have a stable currency and their disposable incomes have not been eroded.”\nAlthough there have been several tariff increases over the course of 2019, the last mobile tariff hike that was approved by Potraz saw an overall 95,39 percent jump in voice, data and SMS tariff adjustment for mobile cellular and fixed network operators.\nIn respect of that last upward price adjustment, Econet Zimbabwe increased its voice tariff with 98 percent to $0,963 per minute from $0,486 per minute in August, while data and SMS prices have gone up to $0,1926 per MB and $0,2440 per SMS respectively.\nTelecel Zimbabwe’s voice, data and SMS tariffs are now $0,96 per minute for Telecel to Telecel, $0,92 per minute for Telecel to other networks, $0,19 per MB and $0,24 per SMS.\nAnd NetOne’s tariffs increased to $0,95 per minute for NetOne to NetOne, $0,92 per minute for NetOne and other local networks, $0,19 data and $0,24 for SMS in compliance with the regulator.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/another-telecoms-tariff-hike-looms/"}

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+{"doc_id": "407555079547bfd51e868e0e3c49c080", "text": "What you need to know:\n- Social media tools were deployed to mount vitriol against perceived enemies, along the usual tribal contours that define our politics while degrading our capacities as a united nation.\n- Many government agencies have deployed ICT platforms to share documents that were previously inaccessible in their \"hard-copy\" state.\nHave ICTs enhanced political participation, social accountability, public service delivery and citizen engagement in East Africa in the recent past?\nThese were the research questions behind a study commissioned by CIPESA, a regional think tank focusing on ICTs in East and Central Africa.\nIn Kenya's case, the answers are found in its recently published ICTs in Governance report. Some, which make for interesting reading, are highlighted below.\nICT IN POLITICS\nDuring the last general elections, Kenyans flocked onto social media platforms in support of their parties and presidential candidates.\nParties also embraced ICTs and used it to extensively engage with supporters in dynamic and interactive ways that were previously impossible.\nBlogs, Facebook walls, Twitter pages and websites were constantly updated with real-time information about campaign events, meetings, party manifestos amongst others.\nHowever, the ugly side of ICTs was later to emerge after the Supreme Court validated the hotly contested presidential results.\nWith the ICC case hanging in the background, many say that Kenyans opted for \"electronic\" rather than the \"physical\" post-election violence experienced in 2007/8.\nSocial media tools were deployed to mount vitriol against perceived enemies, along the usual tribal contours that define our politics while degrading our capacities as a united nation.\nThis ethnicised use of ICT continues to be worrying as we move towards the 2017 elections.\nICTs AND SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY\nICTs have proved to be a strong platform for enhancing transparency and accountability. Many government agencies have deployed ICT platforms to share documents that were previously inaccessible in their \"hard-copy\" state.\nParliament’s website has regularly updated copies of the Hansard, the Treasury has recent copies of the Budget, with the Controller of Budget regularly reporting on how it is administered.\nPublicly procured contracts are also frequently listed and updated by the Public Procurement Oversight Authority.\nVarious commissions have also adopted ICTs with the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution, the body mandated to ensure that the Constitution is implemented deploying a bill tracker - a tool for monitoring proposed, pending and enacted constitutional bills.\nThe problem, however, is that Kenyans do not read or visit such useful sites, preferring instead the easier route of embracing, without filtering, whatever they get from their political, religious and so-called FM radio \"celebrities\".\nICTs and PUBLIC SERVICES\nThe report observes that due to the high penetration of mobile services, the government has been able to improve services.\nMobile money markets have also helped in making electronic payments and reducing the risks associated with handling physical cash.\nNotable mentions go to the Kenya Revenue Authority's iTax system, the government financial system IFMIS, the Huduma Centres and the eCitizen portal. Local governments have also not been left behind, with many of them adopting electronic revenue systems such as Nairobi’s parking system.\nThe challenge, however, remains, in that corruption persists both in the public and private sector. Just because money was paid electronically doesn't mean it can't also be stolen electronically.\nICTs AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT\nHere is where Kenyans have excelled, particularly Kenyans on Twitter (#KOT). Using the power of social media, the report cites several instances where Twitter campaigns were mounted, leading to a change of action or policy.\n#SpeechYa500K led the government to abandon flying the President’s Madaraka Day speech to far-flung counties at the cost of 500,000 shillings while #AngloLeasing got the government hard-pressed to explain why it was making further payments to shadowy contractors.\n#SomeoneTellCNN has also been used to get CNN to apologise for negative publicity, while #TintedWindows spared Kenya’s middle class from a police directive that would have compelled them to remove their much-valued tinted film from their car windows.\nIn summary, ICTs have indeed come a long way and have played a significant role in the governance framework. We must be cautious, however, since ICTs cut both ways – they can be used positively or negatively.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://nation.africa/oped/blogs/dot9/walubengo/2274560-2997286-xk6re4z/index.html"}

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+{"doc_id": "41c4c59087b38c52bee276ba1d2547ee", "text": "A crisis is brewing regarding how South Sudan cargo should be cleared following a State directive that reverted cargo clearance to the Port of Mombasa.\nIn March this year, Kenya made an agreement with South Sudan for the latter's cargo to be ferried to the Nairobi Freight Terminal for clearance.\nThe South Sudan government wanted its cargo to be specifically cleared at the city terminal.\nHowever, two weeks ago, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) advised shipping lines in a notice that cargo owners are free to nominate where their cargo should go and have the right to choose their mode. This was a result of the directive from President Ruto reverting cargo clearance to Mombasa.\nNow, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has written to his National Treasury counterpart Ukur Yatan seeking guidance on how the South Sudan cargo should be handled.\nMr Macharia revealed that South Sudan and Kenya made the government-to-government arrangement in a letter dated March 7 this year.\n- Community health workers boost counties universal healthcare bid\n- Inside UON's digital health facility\n- Cabinet okays NHIF scrapping if four bills get MPs nod\n- Ruto to launch UHC on Mashujaa Day\nIn 2018, the government had ordered that cargo be ferried to Nairobi and Naivasha Inland Container Depot by Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) prompting a protest from business people who felt the directive favoured the SGR.\nIn a letter dated October 4, of this year, Macharia noted that the government of South Sudan has not yet reversed the government-to-government arrangement since even the officers deployed by the South Sudan National Revenue Authority are still stationed at the NFT facility.\nThe facility is owned by Kenya Railway Corporation but operated by a Mombasa-based private transport logistics company.\n\"The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to confirm that handling of cargo for South Sudan at the Nairobi Freight Terminal facility is still considered a government-to-government arrangement until we are advised otherwise by the government of South Sudan,\" said Macharia.\n\"This ministry will also be writing to the minister of transport to reaffirm the same and also seek more arrangements on how to serve South Sudan better to continue using our transport corridors.\"\nHe stated that the government of South Sudan identified Nairobi Freight Terminal as its favourite clearance terminal on February 25 this year.\nAt the time, the Sudanese Transport Minister Madut Biar Yel said his government had settled on the facility in a communique to Kenya's Foreign Affairs ministry.\nSouth Sudan had also wanted cargo destined for its borders cleared by six clearing and forwarding firms at the Nairobi facility.\nThe arrangement which was made in April this year and implemented early this month has caused controversy, with manufacturers and traders from South Sudan rejecting the move on grounds that the decision would raise their cost of operations.\nThey have complained that NFT is being operated by a private company that cannot accommodate all South Sudanese cargo imported through the port.\nThey want the order rescinded until their country builds its own inland container depot at Naivasha where they have acquired land.\nOn June 13, this year, the Association of South Sudan Manufacturers (ASSM) wrote to the Trade and Industry Minister expressing disappointment at the cargo haulage order.\nThe association noted that the order would raise the cost of transporting a container to Sh175,500 as a result of double handling in Mombasa and Nairobi as well as rail charges.\nASSM chairman Adam Kubanja argued that most traders and manufacturers in South Sudan have invested in trucks to transport cargo but they were now being forced to pay extra costs for transportation by rail to Nairobi.\nMr Kubanja noted that the security of the containers from the vessel berth to loading on the train to Nairobi was not guaranteed by the South Sudan government. The security cost would be passed on to cargo agents.\n\"We expect congestion and delays of between five to seven days in Mombasa as the containers wait for rail transportation to Nairobi,\" he said.\n\"This will greatly affect the free days given by shipping lines and subsequently heap extra charges on containers.\"", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/shipping-logistics/article/2001457982/ruto-cargo-order-leaves-south-sudan-in-catch-22-situation"}

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+{"doc_id": "4515e27a840219d4982bb155d67ba025", "text": "Brainworks pioneers JSE main bourse listing….Set to acquire new hotel, horticulture businesses….Seeks to raise $15 million\nTaurai Mangudhla recently in JOHANNESBURG, South Africa\nBrainworks Limited on Friday broke new ground after it became the first Zimbabwean company to have a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Brainworks has subsidiaries in real estate (Dawn Properties), hospitality (African Sun), logistics (FML) and financial services (GetSure, GetBucks and GetCash). It is the 16th company to list on the JSE this year.\nThe kudu horn was blown early Friday morning to signal Brainwork’s listing at a colourful ceremony held at the JSE. The shares opened at R11.50. The anticipated market capitalisation of the company is around R869.7million. The listing is seen expanding the company’s capital base and supporting its vision for growth and expansion into regional and global markets. CEO Bretts Child told the Herald Business in Johannesburg on Friday that the company targets raising $10 million in the first 12 months of trading.\n“With regards to capital, we are looking to raise about $15 million in the first year which will be used to fund various operations and to retire debt obligations. But we are really hoping to use our equity to raise more capital in Zimbabwe also,” he said after the listing ceremony.\nThe company immediately announced plans to acquire a new hotel business and move into horticulture. Zimbabwe Ambassador to South Arica Isaac Moyo said Brainworks was pioneering the Zimbabwean dream to have its businesses spread into the world.\n“Today we are welcoming them into the new territory and I am optimistic they will make it and we expect more Zimbabwean businesses or those with a strong footprint in our country to do the same” Ambassador Moyo said.\nRegional stock market analyst and FNB head of research Chantal Marx said Brainworks is expected to raise “a huge amount” of capital and reap benefits from the general excitement around new stocks on the bourse.\n“The reason why they are listing is obviously to gain access to more equity and also market themselves to debt providers. This is their debut in the most liquid market in Africa and the expectation is that it gives them a boost to reputation and credibility. When this becomes a success, other Zimbabwean companies are expected to follow suit and we may perhaps see dual listings. In South Africa there is a very deep pool of capital and people are always interested in new listings and new companies have been very successful,” Miss Marx said.\nDonna Nemer, Director Capital Markets at the JSE, said: “As Africa’s largest stock exchange, the JSE believes we can make an important contribution to the growth and the development of our continent. We do this through offering foreign investors a secure and transparent entry point into Africa and providing the companies who do business here with a liquid platform to raise further capital to fund their expansion.”\nBrainworks is also working on a facility with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, which will allow Zimbabwean investors to buy shares of the company without the need to source foreign currency. When it was established in 2011, Brainworks was owned 100 percent by George Manyere and Walter Kambwanji, but the shareholding shifted in 2012 and now foreigners own over 65 percent of the company. The group says that its main investment case lies in the fact that it offers ground floor access to a recovering emerging market and through the planned listing provides exposure to Zimbabwe based assets without risks associated with direct investment through the ZSE.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/brainworks-pioneers-jse-main-bourse-listing-set-to-acquire-new-hotel-horticulture-businesses-seeks-to-raise-15-million/"}

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+{"doc_id": "459f5c27ac176924507ec1b1f8a3581a", "text": "Listed property fund ILAM Fahari I-REIT posted a 16 per cent fall in profit for the year ended December 2020 attributed to the revaluation of property on a year that also saw interruption from the Covid-19 pandemic.\nNet profit fell by Sh148 million compared to Sh175.2 million recorded the previous year.\n“The real estate market was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with most tenants, especially in the retail sector facing the biggest challenges. The year 2020 was particularly challenging for ILAM Fahari I-REIT, due to the financial difficulties experienced by the anchor tenant at Greenspan Mall,” he said.\n“The resultant closure affected business for the other tenants as a result of reduced foot traffic. We expect that 2021 will be a better year after the replacement of the anchor tenant at the mall,” he added explaining the losses caused by struggling retailer Tuskys which was the anchor tenant.\nThe ILAM Fahari I-REIT (formerly Stanlib Fahari I-REIT) is the first and only listed real estate investment trust in East Africa. It was taken over last year by ICEA LION Asset Management from Stanlib.\nThis was the first full year result of the REIT since ICEA took over in May last year.\nThe distributable earnings fell 7 per cent to Sh134.4 million compared to Sh144 million the previous year owing to an increase in property expenses emanating from the provision of bad debts.\nThis saw property expenses grow by 14 per cent.\nRental income declined slightly by one per cent due to rental rebates offered to tenants at Greenspan Mall Limited and Bay Holdings Limited.\n“This was, however, offset by the lease escalations at Starling Park Properties LLP as well as Greenspan Mall Limited hence the minimal impact of the rebates on the portfolio performance,” noted Kihanda.\n“The financial difficulties experienced by the anchor tenant at Greenspan Mall Limited as well as COVID- 19 pandemic hampered rental collections hence the significant increase in bad debts,” he added.\nKihanda noted they discounted management fees to support the REIT and also said that leases were being renewed at reasonable rats with the portfolio vacancy standing at 13.2 per cent.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001407245/property-fund-ilam-fahari-i-reit-records-16-pc-fall-in-profits"}

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+{"doc_id": "45fa5cf74a2d6bbeebb203239360f716", "text": "Kenya will buy an additional $25 million (Sh3.23 billion) stake in Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) as the infrastructure development-focused multilateral institution moves to set up its first office outside Nigeria in Nairobi.\nPresident William Ruto said on Wednesday during ongoing ‘The Africa we Build Summit 2026’ in Nairobi, the investment is part of Kenya’s move to continue strengthening regional development finance institutions.\nKenya has been one of the shareholders in AFC since 2017.\nThe pledge for additional equity came as AFC president and CEO Samaila Zubairu announced that the firm was going to set up a regional office in Nairobi. This will be AFC’s first office outside its headquarters in Lagos.\n“I want to inform AFC fraternity that as you set up office in Nairobi, the Kenya government is going to enhance its equity by $25 million as a demonstration of the confidence we have in African financial institutions,” said Dr Ruto.\nMr Zubairu, who said AFC reached the agreement with Kenya officials to set up Nairobi office, explained that the office will be the first one outside Nigeria and aims to ride on opportunities in the East African region.\n“This is strategic. Nairobi sits at the heart of a region where trade capital, energy and industrial opportunity are increasingly interconnected. Establishing a presence here will allow us to work more closely with East African governments and partners who are moving from plans to projects and from commitment to capital,” said Mr Zubairu.\n“It allows us to support what comes next— integrated corridors, regional energy platforms, industrial ecosystems, pipelines and domestic capital mobilisation at scale.”\nAFC was created to help Africa nations plug infrastructure gaps via financing. Global shocks and geopolitical shifts have made it harder for African nations to raise funds for development abroad, making it imperative states can draw on internal capital.\nBut that is not happening enough, according to the AFC's annual study, the State of Africa's Infrastructure Report published on Thursday at the start of a two-day meeting in Nairobi.\nThe talks will try to achieve deals for infrastructure projects in Africa.\nMr Zubairu said domestic funds focused too much on low-risk assets such as government bonds that do not fully translate into productive investments. The need was to invest in infrastructure, which creates jobs and can have wider economic benefits.\n\"The Africa of tomorrow will not be shaped by hope alone. It will be shaped by what we build,\" he said.\nKenya’s planned fresh equity in AFC follows a similar move in the likes of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (Atidi) and Trade and Development Bank (TDB) where the country has been increasing its equity.\nIn 2023, Kenya raised its stake in TDB by about $40 million (Sh5.17 billion), making it among the countries with highest stake in the Bujumbura-based institution. President Ruto said he has held talks with TDB for further injection.\n“We have already discussed how Kenya, being among the highest shareholders of TDB, is going to enhance our equity and shareholding. We are doing it intentionally and deliberately. We will continue as leaders in this continent to continue building our own Africa financial institutions and give them capacity,” said President Ruto.\nAFC has over 47 shareholders including sovereigns, pension funds, banks, and multilaterals across Africa. Since the start of the equity raise in 2018, the corporation has cumulatively mobilised over $1.1 billion (Sh142.1 billion).\nThe corporation plans to further diversify its shareholding by attracting investment from regional and non-regional institutional investors and double its current capital size to accelerate Africa's infrastructure development and economic growth.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/companies/kenya-to-buy-an-extra-sh3-23bn-stake-in-afc-5434346"}

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+{"doc_id": "47093ed4798d652f9573071f7c266f19", "text": "2022: Year of highest wheat yield, self-sufficiency\nElita Chikwati-Features Editor\nThe year 2022 will go down in history as the farming season Zimbabwe recorded its highest wheat harvest since production of the cereal started in 1966, thanks to the Government’s Agriculture Recovery Plan aimed at boosting food security and nutrition in line with Vision 2030.\nThis year saw the country recording surplus after harvesting 375 000 tonnes of wheat from the 80 883 hectares planted by farmers during the winter cropping season.\nAbout 360 000 tonnes of wheat are required for national consumption annually.\nFollowing the success of the wheat production last season, the value chain has the potential to increase its production reaching national sufficiency and export the surplus.\nThe Russia and Ukraine Conflict has revealed the need for a nation to rely on locally-produced food.\nThese two countries used to be the major wheat producers globally and the conflict meant disruption of food supplies.\nThus it is important that Zimbabwe was able to produce enough wheat for national consumption.\nThe value chain should continue to work together in a co-ordinated manner to ensure the linkages are strengthened by ensuring that the wheat value chain is highly-dependent on our locally-produced crop.\nOver the years, Zimbabwe has been a wheat importer as local production could not meet the annual requirement of 360 000 tonnes.\nWheat production had been affected by several challenges that include interruption of power supply, high costs of production and unavailability of funding as most financial institutions were not willing to fund the crop due to high risks associated with the cereal.\nGovernment has been targeting increases in wheat production to meet the national requirement in line with the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, the Agriculture Recovery Plan and the National Development Strategy 1 and in pursuit of the vision of becoming an empowered and prosperous upper middle income society by 2030.\nThus a number of strategies have been put in place to boost production and wheat has not been left out.\nThe Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has been working closely with important stakeholders to ensure all things were in place for wheat production.\nThe private sector on the other hand is also playing a role in boosting production through contract farming.\nThese stakeholders include the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa which also worked hard to ensure farmers had supply of water for irrigation the ZETDC also came up with different strategies to ensure farmers had interrupted power supply during the winter cropping season.\nThis saw farmers being put in clusters so they could be prioritised on power supply.\nInputs manufacturers also played their role is ensuring there was enough seed on the market while the Ministry ensured farmers received the required advisory service to produce wheat viably.\nFarmers were trained on important agronomic practices to increase yields.\nThe private sector was also tasked by Government to contribute at least 40 percent of the production of their raw material requirements in line with Government policy and the target was met this year.\nAs with all crops under the Second Republic a number of public and private financing arrangements were put in place so farmers could access their needed inputs in good time.\nWheat was planted under the Presidential Inputs Scheme, National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme also known as Command Agriculture/CBZ Agro-Yield and private sector schemes.\nAgritex extension teams were in full force going to wheat growing areas training farmers on planting, calibration of planting machines, fertiliser application and disease control among other important agronomic practices.\nEfforts were also made to avail combine harvesters so that the wheat could not be damaged by early rains.\nSome challenges were, however, experienced in some parts of the country.\nVeld fires and early rains affected the crop although no significant damage was done. The country remained self-sufficient.\nFarmers also complained of challenges in transportation of the crop to the Grain Marketing Board Marketing.\nConcerns were also raised over the delays in payments after farmers had delivered their wheat to the GMB.\nThe attainment of soft wheat self-sufficiency is premised on Government’s agricultural transformation anchored on active private and public sector participation.\nAccording to Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement food self-sufficiency, import substitution, increased exports, increased value addition and beneficiation, increased employment and improved livelihoods can be better guaranteed by a vibrant water sector, anchored on robust, transparent, fair and accountable management of the sector.\nIrrigation has been identified as a key component in wheat production.\nIn Zimbabwe wheat is grown in winter under irrigation.\nAccording to the Ministry of Lands, irrigation will continue to have a prominent role in propelling agriculture in the context of Vision 2030. In this regard, efficient water use, through efficient irrigation systems, will be advocated.\nThe country will continue to register surplus if all stakeholders play their part; if adequate funding is availed, inputs distributed early and farmers trained on important practices.\nFarmers should also be equipped so they always plant within the planting window to prevent destruction of the crop by early rains. Harvesting equipment should also be available and affordable.\nThe announcement of pre-planting producer prices by Government also help motivate farmers to produce the crop.\nA number of farmers have welcomed government’s move to peg producer prices in foreign currency. According to the farmers inputs are pegged in foreign currency and therefore they will not be able to break even if they get their payments wholly in RTGS.\nThe area under wheat production can also be improved.\nThe Ministry has also encouraged tobacco farmers to also consider producing wheat during the winter cropping season.\nTobacco growers could utilise their land for the irrigated tobacco for wheat production to ensure the country continue attaining self-sufficiency and building a strategic grain reserve for the cereal.\nAll farmers with land and have access to water for irrigation can also produce wheat even on a small scale so the nation become self-sufficient.\nThe tobacco industry has a sizeable hectarage that they put to irrigated tobacco about 20 000 hectares.\nAll this land could be utilised to grow wheat. The tobacco farmers’ 20 000 hectares can be used to produce a 100 000 tonnes of wheat.", "source": "cc", "stratum": "cc", "fetch_date": "", "url": "https://www.herald.co.zw/2022-year-of-highest-wheat-yield-self-sufficiency/"}