Kenbright in the Frontline to Demystify Insurance.
Kenbright Insurance provides the best and most competitive rates in the region.
In a candid interview with The Managing Director of Kenbright Ezekiel Macharia he highlighted some of the plans they are having in a bid to make insurance more palatable.
Insurance penetration in the country is just at a partly 3%.
“As Kenbright we buy insurance in bulk from the major insurance companies and then we package the same to pocket friendly packages for everyone to consume. I’m calling upon everyone to embrace insurance so that in the time of shock you can have a reliable partner.
I recommend that a part of your earning, which should not exceed five percent of your earnings. These will one day come in handy at the time of need.
Partnering with Safaricom, Kenbright has been able to develop an App embedded in the Mpesa app where everyone who has a smartphone is able to access a wide range of tailor made, affordable insurance products.
Cabinet Secretary Mr. Zacharia Njeru today had a meeting with PSs from the two State Departments of the Ministry, Water and Sanitation and Irrigation, Water Secretary and HoDs for briefs in their dockets.
The HODs led by PSs Messrs. Julius Korir (Water and Sanitation) and Ephantus briefed the CS on the status of projects and programmes that they are implementing as outlined in the Executive Order No. 1 of 2022.
CS Njeru pledged open-door policy and assured them of their support and cooperation in delivering their mandate of the Ministry. He added that most of the Ministry’s work will henceforth will be seen in the field where most of the services are required.
To provide live, dignity and food security to the people of Kenya, CS Njeru urged the staff to embrace teamwork within the State Departments and assist to achieve the mandate of the Ministry. He emphasized the need for harmonious working relations and cohesiveness to deliver the Government Agenda.
Other notable presentations were made by Water Secretary Eng SAO Alima and Secretary of Administration, State Department of Water and Sanitation Stephen Kihara among others.
Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) says it will give capacity building to the youth venturing into the tourism business in the counties to enhance their skills in the hospitality sector.
KTB chairperson Francis Gichaba disclosed that a number of youth in the regions endowed with tourism activities lacked adequate skills and knowledge to better interpret and deliver visitor experience to the tourists.
“As the tourism marketing agency, this is one of the areas we will focus on especially as we enhance our relationship with the county governments in identifying opportunities that would spur tourism activities in the regions”, said the chairperson.
Speaking at the sidelines of the just-concluded 7th edition of Turkana Tourism and Cultural festivals held in Lodwar, Gichaba said the tourism business is one of the economic pillars that had a direct impact right from the grassroots levels.
He said, that one way of creating jobs for the youth was to identify other opportunities for tourism and pointed out culture and heritage as one of the tourism pillars away from the beaten path of wildlife and beaches that Kenya is famed for.
“Besides what Kenya is traditionally known for, culture and heritage is our next frontier in addition to adventure, eco-tourism among others. This is in line with our strategy to diversify our tourism offering to cater to the diverse needs of the clientele,” said the chairperson.
According to the chairperson, KTB will collaborate with the county governments and other partners in the sector to help identify, develop, and package the hidden tourism gem in the region.
At the same time while meeting the local tourism partners in Lodwar, Gishaba lauded the government for improved infrastructure and security in Northern Kenya, a move he observed was a major boost to the tourism business.
“Even as we ask of government to do more, improved infrastructure and security in this region is not only enhancing access to tourism facilities but spurring other economic activities for the livelihood of the people,” added the chairperson.
While addressing the 7th edition of Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festivals, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Dr. Alfred Mutua disclosed that he will work with the country towards the improvement of tourism facilities including airstrips for ease of access to the interior parts of the tourism-rich country.
The northern Kenya of Turkana is known as home to the cradle of humans with the discovery of the almost complete skeleton of a human-related fossil ever found in the world –the Turkana Boy known to have existed some 1.6 million years ago. Other attractions include culture, adventure, research, and film making.
National Adaptation Plan(NAP) Global Network Policy Advisor Mauricio Luna Rodriguez ,Ministry of Environment ,Climate change and forestry Deputy Director Climate Change Adaptations Lerenten Lelekoitien and Ministry of Environment ,Climate change and forestry Director Climate Change Pacifica Ogola during the peer learning summit (PLS) on Vertical intergration in the National Adaptation Plan process by NAP Global Network and the Government of Kenya with support from Global affairs Canada on climate change adaptation.
By Melisa Mongina.
Kenya has hosted delegates from ten developing countries across three continents who gathered to exchange insights on strengthening multilevel governance for enhancing climate change resilience through national adaptation plans (NAPs) in their Peer Learning Summit.
During this three-day summit, which transpired in Nairobi on Wednesday, participants expressed their intent to execute the plan, emphasizing the inclusion of vulnerable sectors and communities.
In an interview, Dr. Pacifica Ogola, the Director for Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, noted that in terms of vertical integration, they involve all the ministries at the national level and all the counties they consider as essential in implementing adaptation, primarily because their constitution devolved most of the vulnerable sectors.
“And currently we are developing our third national climate change action plan, which has a separate adaptation technical analysis report, delving into the details of each plan and how these plans will be unpacked and implemented at all levels across the government and also by civil society organizations and the private sector,” said Dr. Ogola.
She adds that they are ensuring that the plans will be gender mainstreamed to enable youth and vulnerable communities to contribute to the plan.
Dr. Ogola highlights that they also have programs around climate-smart agriculture, ensuring that the integration happens, and they have a program on financing locally led adaptation funded by multiple partners.
“Over and above this, we also have programs around climate-smart agriculture, ensuring that this integration happens. We have the program on financing locally led adaptation, funded by multiple partners,” she notes.
According to her, they have made sure that the plan takes into account the process from the village level to the governor’s office and the relevant sectors of the national government.
“And we make sure that this plan takes into account the process from the village level all the way to the governor’s office, to the relevant sectors of the national government. So there are different components of programs across different ministries and governments, which are not coordinating this process at the national level, but we make sure that these programs integrate and report back to us, and this information is stored in our monitoring, reporting, and verification system,” adds Dr. Ogola in an interview.
She emphasizes that vertical integration is essential in Kenya, and they have involved all the relevant ministries, sectors, departments, including the national treasury and the planning department, to ensure that all adaptations are mainstreamed in the overall plan.
“We also make sure that all our plans are included in the national climate change action plan. So the national climate change action plan is the tool we use to consolidate both the mitigation plans and the adaptation plans. The adaptation plans are informed by our national adaptation plan. And how do we ensure this integration happens? We work very closely with the county governments. We also work closely with the departments, with the sectors,” said Dr. Ogola.
Mauricio Luna-Rodríguez, NAP Global Network’s policy advisor and climate change adaptation governance expert, stated that there is a need to take action on the climatic impacts by supporting local community adaptation to climate change.
“And because climate change is exacerbating all of these climatic impacts, we need to take action on these; we need to support the local communities to face climate change,” said Mauricio Luna-Rodríguez.
Mr. Luna adds that national governments have been putting policies in place to move forward on climate change adaptation and they want to ensure that the policies being implemented are discussed during the three days on how to better coordinate from the national level to the subnational level and how to incorporate different actors in this process of adaptation around the national adaptation plans.
“But there is a realization that when those policies are being implemented, you need to coordinate with the subnational governments, the local communities, and different actors, both civil society organizations, the private sector, academia, and this is basically what we want to discuss during these three days on how to better coordinate from the national level to the subnational level and how to incorporate different actors in this process of adaptation around the national adaptation plans,” said Mr. Luna.
The summit focused on “vertical integration” in adaptation, the process of linking sub-national and national adaptation efforts. Vertical integration in multilevel governance is key for effective, representative, and inclusive NAP processes.
According to Mauricio Luna-Rodríguez, their fundamental step in moving from planning to implementation of the NAP process is vertical integration, and they will concentrate on the crucial aspects of the process in the summit.
“Vertical integration is a fundamental step in moving from planning to implementation of the NAP process. In this summit, we will discuss crucial aspects of this process, such as the importance of establishing institutional arrangements for vertical integration across all levels of governance, as well as how to facilitate financing to sub-national levels to enable them to articulate and implement their local priorities,” said Mauricio Luna-Rodríguez, NAP Global Network’s policy advisor and climate change adaptation governance expert.
The Peer Learning Summit has been co-hosted by the Kenyan government and NAP Global Network and it took place from October 11 to 13. The Summit convened adaptation experts, including national and sub-national government officials from Belize, the Dominican Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tuvalu, and Zimbabwe, as well as representatives from Kenya.
The Women Enterprise Fund orchestrated a highly successful stakeholders’ validation workshop, illuminating the contours of its imminent fifth strategic plan spanning the years 2023 to 2027. The pivotal event not only underscored the Fund’s commitment to its mission but also served as a platform for unveiling transformative initiatives that are poised to redefine the landscape for women entrepreneurs.
In March 2023, Dr. Josephine Obonyo, the articulate representative of the PS, State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, delivered a compelling address that resonated with the audience. She illuminated the Fund’s progressive pivot towards digital processes, an innovative approach that manifested in the expeditious disbursement of Kshs. 941 million to an impressive 18,955 groups within a mere three months. This commendable achievement underscored the Fund’s commitment to efficiency and its responsiveness to the evolving needs of its beneficiaries.
Dr. Obonyo, echoing the sentiments of the Fund’s leadership, emphasized resilience and sustainability as linchpins within the strategic plan. Given the intricacies of the current dynamic economic environment, these components were deemed indispensable for ensuring the enduring impact of the Fund’s interventions.
Jane C. Lang, the distinguished Chairperson of the Advisory Board, assumed the podium during the workshop, articulating key strategic objectives with precision and foresight. Central to these objectives was the imperative to enhance market access, cultivate financial acumen and entrepreneurial skills, streamline loan accessibility for women entrepreneurs, and fortify institutional capabilities. Lang’s elucidation of these strategic pillars underscored a comprehensive approach aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs holistically.
The proposed strategic plan is characterized by its audacious goals, indicative of the Fund’s unwavering commitment to catalyzing significant change. The plan envisions disbursing Kshs. 30 billion to empower 5 million women entrepreneurs, a financial injection poised to catalyze transformative growth across diverse sectors. Simultaneously, the plan ambitiously aims to provide essential skills training to 1,000,000 women, equipping them with the tools necessary for navigating the competitive business landscape.
Market access, a pivotal determinant of success for any entrepreneur, assumes a prominent role in the strategic vision. The Fund aspires to facilitate market entry for over 200,000 women entrepreneurs over the next five years, fostering an environment where their enterprises can thrive and contribute meaningfully to economic development.
The stakeholders’ validation workshop not only validated the strategic vision but also served as a testament to the Women Enterprise Fund’s unwavering dedication to empowering women entrepreneurs.
As the Fund strides into the future, armed with a dynamic and ambitious strategic plan, it remains poised to be a beacon of empowerment, fostering a landscape where women entrepreneurs can flourish and redefine the contours of economic success.
Geoffrey Kaituko, now Principal Secretary in the State Department of Shipping and Maritime Affairs, and immediate former principal Secretary for Labor Skills Development is the top among all PSs in President Dr William Ruto government.
PS Kaituko in the latest independent survey by our pollster, garnered 87.8% popularity ranking from amongst his counterparts.
Following closely is Principal Secretary for mining Elijah Mwangi who garnered 82%. PS Elijah has initiated several reforms in the mining Sector key among them being; Decriminalizing the artisanal miners and lifting the moratorium for the Prospecting and Mining licenses. He has aslo initiated several regulations to stream line the mining sector.
Eng. Mbugua (Infrastructure) is number three.
Coming at a close number four is Principal Secretary interior Dr. Raymond Omollo, followed by Principal Secretary lands. Nixon Korir.
His irrigation counterpart ephantus Kimatho follows, and others trailing behind him are PS Paul Ronoh, Idris Dakota, Kello Harsama and Veronica Nduva.
PS Kaituko on Thursday thanked his excellency the President Dr William Ruto for having confidence in his leadership.
Geoffrey Kaituko, now Principal Secretary in the State Department of Shipping and Maritime Affairs, and immediate former principal Secretary for Labor Skills Development is the top among all PSs in President Dr William Ruto government.
PS Kaituko in the latest independent survey by our pollster, garnered 87.8% popularity ranking from amongst his counterparts.
Following closely is Principal Secretary for mining Elijah Mwangi.
, Eng. Mbugua (Infrastructure) is number three.
Coming at a close number four is Principal Secretary interior Dr. Raymond Omollo, followed by Principal Secretary lands. Nixon Korir.
His irrigation counterpart ephantus Kimatho follows, and others trailing behind him are PS Paul Ronoh, Idris Dakota, Kello Harsama and Veronica Nduva.
PS Kaituko on Thursday thanked his excellency the President Dr William Ruto for having confidence in his leadership.
Rebecca Miano, MBS Cabinet Secretary The Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry
Speaking after the reshuffle was announced, she expressed her gratitude for serving at the helm of the EAC ministry and extended her thanks to President Ruto.
After numerous reports by research firms ranking her among the worst-performing Cabinet Secretaries, Rebecca Miano was moved from the Ministry of East African Community, the ASALs, and Regional Development to the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry.
Miano replaces Moses Kuria in the Trade docket in a Cabinet reshuffle by President William Ruto, with Kuria’s reshuffle making most of the headlines given his brash demeanor, especially on social media.
Speaking after the reshuffle was announced, she expressed her gratitude for serving at the helm of the EAC ministry and extended her thanks to President Ruto.
“I am grateful for the incredible journey at the helm of the Ministry of East African Community, the ASALs & Regional Development. Thank you H.E President William Ruto for the trust and invaluable opportunity.
“It is with honour and humility that I assume my new assignment at the Ministry of Investments, Trade & Industry. I remain dedicated to advancing our nation’s growth, as envisioned in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, and delivering progress to the people of Kenya. So help me God,” she wrote on X.
Is Rebecca Miano fit to take over as the Trade boss?
Her Profile
Miano has amassed over 30 years of experience in the energy sector, earning recognition in the continent as a business leader.
The award-winning corporate guru is an expert in different areas including the renewable energy sector, structuring global business projects, and making regulatory frameworks for sustainable development.
Miano is credited with including business law, corporate governance, and policy development.
Before being appointed a CS, Miano served as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen), a position she has held since October 2017.
“She is focused on growing KenGen’s footprint in geothermal development across Africa, and under her leadership, the company has successfully implemented several large geothermal projects in the continent,” KenGen describes her achievement.
Miano also founded the Pink Energy forum in KenGen to address female and gender parity to close the gap within the company.
Previously, from 2008 to 2017, she was the Company Secretary and Legal Affairs Director.
She is a respectable lawyer with a career in law and corporate governance and has been responsible for driving the corporate governance agenda in the company, providing guidance and support to the Board, and has been the Secretary to the Board and all its Committees.
Rebecca Miano, MBS Cabinet Secretary The Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry
Awards and Achievements.
Miano has been recognized by different global institutions, celebrating her contribution to the energy sector. In November 2019, she was appointed to the Board of Global Compact Network.
Seven months later, in July 2020, she joined the World Bank Group’s Advisory Council on Gender and Development.
She has also served on the Finance Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and is a member of several boards alongside chairing the giant Stima Sacco Board.
In 2010, the KenGen CEO won the Company Secretary of the Year award in the Champions of Governance Awards series.
Her exemplary leadership saw former President Uhuru Kenyatta confer her the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) in recognition of her outstanding service to the nation in 2019.
Miano will also ensure that Kenya derives maximum benefit from international trade relations and that domestic trade is conducted in a smooth and orderly manner. Furthermore, it is her responsibility and that of her Ministry to strengthen trade relations with all friendly countries on a most favored nation basis.
Miano Cleaning Up Kuria’s Mess
However, arguably Miano’s toughest task will be to bring sanity to the Trade docket given that Kuria has rattled everyone in the country ranging from politicians to common folk.
On Thursday, October 5, Kuria hinted at Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua playing a key role in his kicking out from the Trade Ministry by posting on X an uncaptioned photo of the DP, having collided for weeks.
The post was made a few minutes after Kuria posted a gospel song remarking God will see him through his tribulations, coming moments after he was moved to the Public Service from Trade, something experts could argue was a demotion.
On Friday, September 22, Gachagua dismissed calls for Kuria to be fired from Ruto’s Cabinet, believing that there was no way Kuria could have bitterness towards him as not only is he his worker but also a father figure to him who only corrects him when he has made a mistake.
“I saw reports claiming that the Mt Kenya region has a problem, Deputy President is fighting with CS Kuria…now, is he my CS? I’m the DP, this is our worker. Can you argue with your employer?
“I want to say that Moses Kuria is our son. I heard people calling for him to be sacked, where will he go? For what reason? I’m his father, I told him not to annoy people too much and to go slow, isn’t that my work?” he posed.
The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has today launched the 6th edition of the Changamka Shopping Festival set to take place in Nairobi at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), with a focus on amplifying local manufacturing within the country.
The festival, set to run from 31st October to 4th November 2023, will bring together local manufacturers to showcase high-quality Made in Kenya products, in line with the Buy Kenya Build Kenya Strategy. The strategy was formulated to address the gap in the consumption of locally manufactured goods compared to imported products.
The launch was presided over by Nairobi County Governor, H.E. Johnson Sakaja who stressed the importance of supporting local manufacturers through policies and incentives that will catapult them to effectively compete with their peers from other parts of the world.
“Changamka Festival is a great initiative to improve manufacturing in Kenya. As stakeholders, we know the challenges facing the manufacturing sector, including accessing local markets. The County Government of Nairobi will work with the National Government to ensure that local manufacturers within and outside the county get the support they need. Initiatives such as these by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers are worth every support if we want to double the contribution of local manufacturing to Kenya’s GDP,” added Governor Sakaja.
Speaking during the launch, the KAM Chief Executive, Mr. Anthony Mwangi, said the Changamka Festival is a driving force in helping local manufacturers access local markets in showcase their abilities and capabilities. He says the drive is pegged on addressing the gap in the consumption of locally manufactured goods compared to imported products.
“Local manufacturing is the backbone of Kenya’s economy. It currently contributes about 7.8 percent to Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP). There is no doubt that the manufacturing sector in Kenya employs the highest number of wage earners, with 352,000 people. The value of manufacturing in Kenya should never be underestimated and we should all work together to address the challenges facing the sector,” said Mr. Mwangi.
Also at the launch event, KenInvest Managing Director, Ms June Chepkemei, representing Principal Secretary, State Department of Investments, Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, reiterated the role the government is playing in making sure that investors get the support to set up projects and grow the economy.
“As a government, we appreciate the need to support investments in Kenya. The government has already kicked off the setting up of industrial parks that will help add value to the products that we produce, especially agricultural products. We have also established Special Economic Zones where investors will enjoy among others tax exemptions,” noted Ms Chepkemei.
Changamka Festival offers manufacturers an opportunity to showcase the quality and diversity of locally manufactured goods made for local, regional, and international markets, besides being able to meet their customers and sell their goods. It also gives an opportunity to Kenyan customers an opportunity to purchase various products right from the manufacturers at a discounted price.
KAM has been at the forefront of pushing for the consumption of locally manufactured goods and breaking the long-standing myth that local products are more expensive as compared to those that are imported. Through initiatives such as the Changamka Festival, KAM hopes to boost production among manufacturers and spur Kenya’s economic growth.
The festival has been sponsored by the Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), KCB Group, NCBA Bank, GIZ – support on behalf of the Republic of Finland and the Federal Republic of Germany, Price Kata/Integral Media, Eco Bank, Nairobi City County, Smart Expo and Amonex Enterprises Limited.
Jennifer cotter-Otieno, CEO and founder, of Edtech East Africa, which convened the Summit
By Melissa Mongina.
Education technology experts from East Africa have convened in Nairobi to explore strategies for advancing digital learning in the region, including Kenya. The gathering brings together digital technology innovators, software developers, engineers, and others to exchange insights on overcoming the challenges hindering access to digital learning tools and technologies.
Speaking during the Edtech Summit 2023 Wednesday, Mark Irura a technical advisor at FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All, suggested the need to develop a localized Artificial intelligence(AI) that will be able to understand local languages such as Swahili. According to him, AI has been around for more than 50 years but it became a new thing due to a lot of open AI and chat gpt.
“So AI has been with us for more than 50 years probably. But it all grew up sometime at the end of last year when we had a lot of open AI and chatgpt. So then it became like this new thing, but it’s something that has been with us throughout,” noted Mark.
He also addressed concerns about students using AI, like ChatGPT, for their assignments, referring to this as natural language processing. Mark emphasized its relevance to Africans and their need to build models capable of comprehending and generating text like humans.
“I think many of us, especially the people in academia have spoken about students who are now turning out assignments using chat GPT. So it’s a large number of models, typically, and we have had the controversies around this,” he adds, “It’s an area I call natural language processing, and I think this is very relevant to us as Africans. So in this particular field, we build a model that can understand, it can compass, and it can generate text as if it were a human being.”
According to Mark, the tools they have now predominantly come in Western languages such as German Spanish, and English. Their challenge right now is Swahili since it is underrepresented in technology yet it has over 400 million speakers in Africa.
“And particularly, the tools that we have right now, predominantly, are coming to us in what we call Western languages. So again, German, Spanish, and English. Swahili is spoken by more than 400 million speakers in Africa but it is underrepresented in in technology and many other languages that we speak. So this is one of the challenges that we have,” explained Mark.
Providing an overview of the summit’s second year, Jennifer Cotter-Otieno, Founder and CEO of EdTech East Africa and the event’s organizer, emphasized the collective effort required to build sustainable and effective solutions, ensuring that no one is left behind.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. It will take all of us, along with the community, to create sustainable and effective solutions, ensuring that no one is left behind.” Said Jennifer Cotter- Otieno.
According to Lydia Mureithi, Deputy Director of the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMESTEA), the purpose of the meeting was to share ideas and explore ways of making learning globally competitive, integrate information technology in schools and the policies to strengthen or establish to make digital education more sustainable in line with global goals.
“We are meeting to share ideas and explore ways of how to make learning globally competitive; how to integrate information technology in schools and the policies to strengthen or establish to make digital education more sustainable in line with global goals,” said Lydia Mureithi.
