N: The oddly named town frozen in time

Western Kenya towns have long names but are very small. Think of Shamakhokho and Navakholo.

By Xn Iraki 26 days ago

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Kenya needs taxes rethink to reflect economic realities

Kenya's tax system needs reform to better reflect economic realities, improve growth, and strengthen the link between taxation and public benefits.

By Xn Iraki 27 days ago

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Black tax: To pay or not to pay? That's the question

The black tax is often less than the corporate tax or income tax. We do not even know who benefits from our taxes; some of it is even stolen.

By Xn Iraki 29 days ago

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The golden age of pork is nigh and unstoppable

More pork could be an indirect sign of modernity and economic reality.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

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Kenya has no shortage of alternative tourist attractions

Kenya has a vast untapped tourism potential beyond traditional wildlife safaris, including cultural sites, local cuisine, urban landmarks and historical locations.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

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There's more to fuel prices than meets the eye

The reduction in VAT and subsequent reduction in fuel price demonstrated the role taxes play in raising the price of fuel.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

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Thika Road Ads: Firms never waste a good crisis

How traffic congestion on Thika Road creates opportunities for hawkers and advertisers who capitalise on drivers stuck in jams despite the frustration it causes.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

Why Nyandarua's uniqueness makes it enigma of devolution

Nyandarua County is known for mountains, milk, potatoes, the Aberdares National Park and landmarks like Mau Mau caves, wreckage of World War II bombers and homes of WW II veterans.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

Nasa's Artemis II moonshot bodes well for global community

The success of the Artemis II project, with astronauts making a reconnaissance visit to the far end of the moon, should be celebrated by all of humanity

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

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Ease funding red tape to grow local enterprises

Kenya's entrepreneurs face excessive red tape in accessing funding, limiting the growth of local enterprises despite banks' strong profits from loans and government securities.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

Time to race to the moon, not countryside this Easter holiday

Competition is a great motivator, even in space. National pride, espoused by Trump's America First, is driving the return to the moon. Remember, making America great again?

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

What is the future of trade unions in the current world?

Trade unions have slowly been silenced.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

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From Karen to Ol Joro Orok: The making of a bold entrepreneur

The story follows an entrepreneur who left Nairobi's upscale Karen suburb to build a business in rural Ol Joro Orok, defying the trend of rural-urban migration.

By Xn Iraki 1 month ago

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A curious mix of Muceera versus Land Rover

In Kenya, car stickers and truck slogans blend humour, local wisdom, and identity, exemplified by a Land Rover displaying "Muceera," a Central Kenyan clan, on its spare tyre.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

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Dawning reality of 2012 law on varsities and its impact

A new education law came into effect. One of its tenets is that all the universities came under one law. Previously, each university was established under an Act of Parliament.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

Containing China: The endgame in Iran war?

In peace through war, we must not forget the emotional consequences of losing a war.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

Instant traffic fines: There's more than meets the eye

The statement by NTSA that there is no human interference in the camera system is contestable, cameras are programmed and calibrated by human beings.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

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Alliance at 100: What it can do to become an academic behemoth

As Alliance High School marks 100 years, experts explore how it can evolve into a leading academic institution while preserving its historic campus.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

Why I must improve my dancing skills in an area where innovations are rife

Dancing is one area where innovations are rife, with new universal dances, not tied to any cultural group. Nowadays, you can even take a degree in dancing!

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

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This could be end game of Iran war

The Iran war could have unintended consequences; Russia could fill the Middle East oil shortage and sell oil to key economies like China at a good price.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

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The Alliance: A century of shaping dreams

A personal reflection traces the dreams, struggles and lasting impact of studying at Alliance High School, one of Kenya's most influential institutions.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

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Why informal sector remains small in developed countries

The informal sector remains small in developed countries as most workers aspire to formal office jobs, leaving little space for informal employment to thrive.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

The hard infrastructure options for Kenyan cities

Till we got the SGR and expressway, our "hard ambitions" were limited and the railway had remained the same for a century.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

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Echoes of WW II in row over Ukraine war

The ongoing Ukraine war evokes echoes of World War II, as modern geopolitics and shifting alliances mirror past global tensions.

By Xn Iraki 2 months ago

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School bus: The unnecessary status symbol for middle class

When the then Cabinet Secretary for Education Dr Fred Matang'i directed that all school buses be painted yellow, the order deprived schools of their identity.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Evolving status symbols from cars to AI models

The US ultra-rich have lately shifted their status symbols to ownership of artificial intelligence (AI) models.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

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Why Kenya is 'up for sale'

Kenya's economic decisions and governance trends have fuelled perceptions the country is effectively "up for sale".

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Kenya's economy exhibits unique traits and magic

It is assumed that the small and micro enterprises that define the Kenyan economy are independent, but they are linked to the formal economy.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Should we celebrate falling interest rates

It's expected that with low rates, banks will take the cue and lower their lending rates.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

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Rising lake waters and nature's fury that we should all take note

Rising waters at Lake Bogoria signal the growing force of nature and the urgent need to confront environmental change.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

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Bank notes in decorations: It's more than meets the eye

The Central Bank of Kenya's advisory on the use of banknotes in decorations provoked my economic instinct

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Why NCBA is on sale after Safaricom

If Safaricom and NCBA's sale goes through, South Africa will control a big chunk of Kenya's financial market, including M-Pesa.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Of Epstein files and ghosts of Happy Valley

The fact that Epstein was both a financial consultant and a convicted sex offender makes any connection with him murky.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Whom do you know? The injustice of personalising service delivery

Unfortunately, the most affected by "who do you know" are the hustlers, the men and women who have never built any networks.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

What if China wins the AI race, and what are its implications?

If China dominates the electric car industry and AI, it will upend the long-held belief in the superiority of Western civilisation.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

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The age of gyms is upon us and with it a fitness boom

When shall we start respecting rural folks for owning their houses, with or without affordable housing?

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Why China is primed for global EV takeover

The fear now is that China will slowly kill the internal combustion engine by mass-producing cheaper electric cars.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

Elevated roads key to unlocking incessant traffic gridlocks

The elevated Standard Gauge Railway, which allows animals to move freely between parts of the Nairobi National Park, much like an elevated expressway saves lots of space.

By Xn Iraki 3 months ago

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Don't build on that empty land! You will thank me later

An open space can be configured in many ways, and tent makers have been very creative. Movement is less restrictive and photography is much better!

By Xn Iraki 4 months ago

Has economic focus already shifted to the 2027 elections?

The 2022 polls were about economics, and so will be the 2027 elections, and the government seems too aware of that and is unlikely shy away from flexing its economic muscles.

By Xn Iraki 4 months ago