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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

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Xn Iraki

The unintended consequences of new taxes and increased oil prices

Economic shocks are not like explosions; they are more like earthquakes with aftershocks. The effects are often felt with a lag, taking months or years.

The unintended consequences of new taxes and increased oil prices

Uber car vs the bicycle: Who will win the innovation race?

Uber car vs the bicycle: Who will win the innovation race?

Taxes and fuel prices: How high will State take them?

Taxes and fuel prices: How high will State take them?

Africa's place in G20 and lessons from India, Hanoi

Africa's place in G20 and lessons from India, Hanoi

Paradox of free education as seen from a 'hustler's' view

Would co-payment make a difference in education? Would it force parents to be more focused on their children’s education? Day schools have a copayment in the form of lunch, which one can skip.

Paradox of free education as seen from a 'hustler's' view

Memories of Uganda and all our tomorrow

The East African or African dream will never be realised when we are so insular. How many Kenyans have interacted with Ugandans or other East Africans?

Memories of Uganda and all our tomorrow

Climatic change is real, what's next?

The climatic change war will be won in our minds. It will take time and political will. For now, the voters do not seem angry enough to demand changes that would save the planet.

Climatic change is real, what's next?

Branding: Rwanda has shown Kenya how it is done

Want a shortcut in branding? Use innovation. Once you invent a new product or service, branding is easy. Think of Google, M-Pesa, or Bic.

Branding: Rwanda has shown Kenya how it is done

Restoring the 'Pride of Africa' is still a valid national dream

The operating costs of the planes are high, driven by the fact that in this industry, margins of error are almost zero. You can’t have half-maintained planes, no slight intended, like a matatu.

Restoring the 'Pride of Africa' is still a valid national dream

Rwanda is making big waves with sports marketing, why not Kenya?

President Kagame often tweets any time that Arsenal is playing. And the country recently signed a similar five-year deal with German giant football club Bayern Munich

Rwanda is making big waves with sports marketing, why not Kenya?

Welcome to Taiwan, land of semiconductors and paddies

While Taiwan is known for semiconductors, most citizens know little about diodes, resistors, transistors and other items that make integrated circuits.

Welcome to Taiwan, land of semiconductors and paddies

India's space breakthrough and emerging 'moonomics'

Indians have been here for more than a century, part of cultural and entrepreneurial mosaic. They built our rail and paradoxically, the next rail, SGR was built by easterners.

India's space breakthrough and emerging 'moonomics'

Letter from Tainan: Beyond the rice paddies of Taiwan

Work is not evil, it gives us meaning and purpose. We must remember the government is a facilitator, we do the work. Let’s be real, growth and development are not rocket science.

Letter from Tainan: Beyond the rice paddies of Taiwan

Americanisation: Why we can't have enough of the US

Americanisation is for all. Our elites looked to America to get us a new constitution, often copying sections verbatim, even calling our ministers secretaries.

Americanisation: Why we can't have enough of the US

Subsidies: Idealism versus pragmatism

Hard-nosed economists dislike subsidies, suggesting they distort the market. But hard-nosed politicians know subsides distort the political market to their favour.

Subsidies: Idealism versus pragmatism

Devolution at 10: Counting the major hits and misses

Let’s admit that lots of services and money that should have been devolved are still with the national government, leading to duplication.

Devolution at 10: Counting the major hits and misses

Cake and boiled maize: Delicacies uniting the rich and poor

The rich and the poor both eat cake and boiled maize. They need to share more beyond the air we breathe.

Cake and boiled maize: Delicacies uniting the rich and poor

Should we lose sleep over weakening Kenya shilling?

why has the shilling weakened? There are both local and global causes. Some causes are emotional, others are real supported by fundamentals of economics.

Should we lose sleep over weakening Kenya shilling?

What Naivasha's bond with nature, enguinity can teach other regions

The region around Naivasha is dry but a lake is the lifeline. Just as we have an oasis in the desert. How come all such desolate places always have a lifeline?

What Naivasha's bond with nature, enguinity can teach other regions

'Great Wall' TV and the fading of a hustler's status symbol

That blue metal box which is slowly being edged out by suite cases had lots of “respect” at that time. Schooling was then a sure route to upward mobility.

'Great Wall' TV and the fading of a hustler's status symbol

Why Treasury should forgive our July taxes

Forgiveness and charity are counterbalanced by envy and jealousy. We celebrate failure and instead of doing our best to uplift others we rejoice when they fail.

Why Treasury should forgive our July taxes

What's causing turmoil in the Sahel?

West African States and their institutions have hollowed out. That’s why the coups are taking place. The military is seen as the only institution that can be trusted and make a difference.

What's causing turmoil in the Sahel?

Artificial intelligence: This is why hustlers should rejoice

Machines, mostly computers can be programmed to „learn and become intelligent“ by gathering information and data from trends and patterns based on our activities.

Artificial intelligence: This is why hustlers should rejoice

Borrowing: The paradox of debt and interest rates

Data on debt-to-GDP ratio shows we are way below many countries, but the reality is a bit different. Credit rating agencies have downgraded our creditworthiness.

Borrowing: The paradox of debt and interest rates

Politics aside, let's enjoy life's cycles

You don’t need to leave Kenya to admire and appreciate the great cycles of life. But that will not happen in the city where life is defined by social activities not seasons.

Politics aside, let's enjoy life's cycles

Why hustlers never cease to amaze me

Carrying dogs in our cars has supplemented walking them as the newest status symbol. The other new status symbol is “point fixation,” from point five. Ask your neighbour to interpret for you.

Why hustlers never cease to amaze me

Demos have exposed the frailty of our economic lives

Mandamano (demonstration) has political overtones, but the economic repercussions are too evident and touch everyone.

Demos have exposed the frailty of our economic lives

Why Kenya now needs to exhale

Last year, someone won in the polls and by extension, someone failed. We have come to the point when we must exhale, both as winners and non-winners (not losers).

By 2 months ago

Why Kenya now needs to exhale

One customer is enough to make or break your business

There is an economic explanation for ignoring customers - lack of competition. We get the worst customer service where there is no competition. Police have no competitors and so are our MPs.

By 2 months ago

One customer is enough to make or break your business

Rising fuel pump prices: Just set the oil market free!

Price controls ought to reduce the price or keep it steady. It has mostly been going up. It has been suggested that it could have been worse without controls and subsidies.

By 2 months ago

Rising fuel pump prices: Just set the oil market free!

New demos: What's the end game?

The ghosts of 2022 and 2027 polls haunt the nation. The results of the 2022 poll left the two political contestants with enough angry followers under their command.

By 2 months ago

New demos: What's the end game?

Let's go smaller to make better use of space

The little space you have in a plane and the many things you can do with it. From a seat, a table for your meals, a TV Monitor, and leg space. You can buy more ‘space’ in first class.

By 2 months ago

Let's go smaller to make better use of space

Behaviour change and tech key to taming road carnage

It is common at Kangemi and many other regions in Kenya for traders to sell foodstuffs and merchandise by the roadside.

By 2 months ago

Behaviour change and tech key to taming road carnage

Tourism lessons Kenya can learn from Niagara Falls

It is a tourist’s ultimate dream to visit Niagara Falls on the border between the US and Canada along the Niagara River

By 2 months ago

Tourism lessons Kenya can learn from Niagara Falls

Roasted maize has finally made it to the high table

Why did it take so long for maize to get on the high table? One could be its association with low-class, read hustlers. Two is technology. Boiled maize and nduma are easy to prepare - just boil.

By 2 months ago

Roasted maize has finally made it to the high table

Are new taxes Kenya's version of economic shock therapy?

Could shock therapy work in Kenya? Our therapy is weaning ourselves off debt and relying more on taxes to finance our budget. Add removing fuel and energy subsidies.

By 2 months ago

Are new taxes Kenya's version of economic shock therapy?

Letter from Canada capital and its key economic hub

I saw no big billboards that distract your driving. And no roads pass through a town. Ever driven through Ongata Rongai, Nakuru, or Eldoret? Walls on the roads keep off noise not intruders or thugs.

By 2 months ago

Letter from Canada capital and its key economic hub

Feeding your workers might increase their productivity

We could argue that once workers satisfy their basic needs, getting enough food to eat, they will go up Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs and raise their aspirations leading to more productivity.

By 2 months ago

Feeding your workers might increase their productivity

To tax, or not to tax, that's the big question for State

Shall we reap the annoyance dividends by 2027 through less debt and faster economic growth espoused by more jobs, higher standards of living and a happier nation?

By 2 months ago

To tax, or not to tax, that's the big question for State

Tragedy of Titan should embolden us to explore

OceanGate’s Titan was on its way to see the wreckage of the Titanic.

By 3 months ago

Tragedy of Titan should embolden us to explore

Ugali vs chapati: Which one wins the economic contest?

We would expect wheat flour from which chapati - a word of Indian origin - comes to be more expensive. It is food for the affluent, we were made to believe while growing up.

By 3 months ago

Ugali vs chapati: Which one wins the economic contest?

Maiden Kenya Kwanza record budget offered few surprises

Throughout the budget, there were echoes of the Kenya Kwanza manifesto. KK can now set itself free from the Uhuru administration budget, which it had cited as a constraint to its economic agenda.

By 3 months ago

Maiden Kenya Kwanza record budget offered few surprises

Letter from Homa Bay's historic Rusinga island

Domestic tourism can thrive if we change our mentality, there is more to see in Kenya than sandy beaches and the big five. Thank you for your patience

By 3 months ago

Letter from Homa Bay's historic Rusinga island

The perils of a payslip: Why hustlers need to beware

Majority of Kenyans own no payslip. But payslip owners are also entrepreneurs. The argument is that our wages and salaries rarely leave any surplus.

By 3 months ago

The perils of a payslip: Why hustlers need to beware

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