Macharia Kamau - The Standard

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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

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Macharia Kamau

Open skies: Why Africa could take off on liberalised aviation

Flight costs could come down due to increased competition among carriers. Countries that have adopted freer policy have seen an increase in visitors.

By Macharia Kamau 1 day ago

Open skies: Why Africa could take off on liberalised aviation

Road agencies get Sh62b for repairs in nine months

Road agencies get Sh62b for repairs in nine months

By Macharia Kamau 2 days ago

Finance Bill to kill local industries, lobby warns

Finance Bill to kill local industries, lobby warns

By Macharia Kamau 3 days ago

Kenya Power profit to drop over tariff cut and forex losses

Kenya Power profit to drop over tariff cut and forex losses

By Macharia Kamau 3 days ago

Standards agency CEOs revolving door: Will Njiraini survive the chop?

Since 2009, many of the occupants of the agency’s corner office have been unable to hold the job for the first entire three-year term.

By Macharia Kamau 6 days ago

Standards agency CEOs revolving door: Will Njiraini survive the chop?

Inside titanic battle for control of influential business lobby

Richard Ngatia is seeking to continue with what he says has been a successful run by KNCCI over the last four years.

By Macharia Kamau 6 days ago

Inside titanic battle for control of influential business lobby

Kenya Power to give up Sh20b assets in major State overhaul

Transmission lines will be acquired by Ketraco at market rates, says a memo to Cabinet as government to cede some control on company's board to minority shareholders.

By Macharia Kamau 8 days ago

Kenya Power to give up Sh20b assets in major State overhaul

'Mercury' sugar comes back to haunt Kenyans, five years later

The sugar, which Kebs had deemed unfit for human consumption in 2018, has now been released to the market irregularly and there are fears that it could cause heath complications.

By Macharia Kamau 10 days ago

'Mercury' sugar comes back to haunt Kenyans, five years later

Swiss firm SICPA defends excise duty stamps tender

The firm has been supplying KRA with the Excisable Goods Management System (EGMS), including the printing of excise stamps, since 2013.

By Macharia Kamau 11 days ago

Swiss firm SICPA defends excise duty stamps tender

Tough times drive down boda boda sales by 53pc

It is the first time that the number of newly registered motorcycles has dropped since 2016 while last year’s decline is also the biggest on record.

By Macharia Kamau 11 days ago

Tough times drive down boda boda sales by 53pc

Full in-tray for new Kenya Power CEO

Dr Siror takes office at a time when staff morale is possibly at an all-time low, firm’s brand equity just like its share price has been significantly eroded with high power outages

By Macharia Kamau 13 days ago

Full in-tray for new Kenya Power CEO

Fuel prices could hit Sh200 per litre, oil marketers warn

Treasury has in the Finance Bill 2023 proposed an increase on the value-added tax levied on petroleum products to the standard rate of 16 per cent from the current rate of eight per cent.

By Macharia Kamau 13 days ago

Fuel prices could hit Sh200 per litre, oil marketers warn

Low income households hit hard as State removes subsidies on kerosene

Poor households have been hit hard as the price of kerosene increased by Sh15 a litre following the government’s withdrawal of subsidy on all petroleum products.

By Macharia Kamau 14 days ago

Low income households hit hard as State removes subsidies on kerosene

State's decade-long quest to impose 16pc VAT on petroleum products

The proposal to increase VAT to 16 per cent on fuel could see the price rise to Sh193 per litre, with tax experts saying the impact of VAT could go up by Sh14.

By Macharia Kamau 20 days ago

State's decade-long quest to impose 16pc VAT on petroleum products

Experts decry volatile tax regime as Treasury proposes new levies

Some of the proposals project the country’s taxation regime as one that is highly unstable. Move exposes taxpayers to frequent shocks.

By Macharia Kamau 20 days ago

Experts decry volatile tax regime as Treasury proposes new levies

Political unrest dim firms business confidence

Kenyan companies posted their lowest confidence levels on record in April. This was on account of political unrest and the high cost of commodities.

By Macharia Kamau 21 days ago

Political unrest dim firms business confidence

Tax pain: How Ruto plans to raid your pockets to fund first budget

Ruto's administration has proposed tax measures that are set to see the already high cost of living go even higher for majority Kenyans as the government seeks to increase tax revenues

By Macharia Kamau 23 days ago

Tax pain: How Ruto plans to raid your pockets to fund first budget

Oil import bill nearly doubles on high prices, weak shilling

Decline in crude prices in the second half was not felt in the local market. Increased consumption of jet fuel signifies recovery of aviation sector.

By Macharia Kamau 25 days ago

Oil import bill nearly doubles on high prices, weak shilling

Drought, high cost of petroleum products drag down Kenya's economy

Agriculture registered a negative 1.9 per cent growth in 2022, cutting real GDP to 4.8pc, from 7.6pc in 2021. Import bill for energy products rose 80.4pc to Sh628.4 billion.

By Macharia Kamau 25 days ago

Drought, high cost of petroleum products drag down Kenya's economy

How Kenya may have short circuited its power sector with PPA moratorium

Energy CS Davis Chirchir now warns that the country could in the coming years face difficulties in matching electricity demand and supply if it does not move fast to restart building power plants.

By Macharia Kamau 26 days ago

How Kenya may have short circuited its power sector with PPA moratorium

Why workers failed to get any pay hike during Labour Day

Employees had hoped not just for a minimum wage increase but a general increase that would cover all workers.

By Macharia Kamau 27 days ago

Why workers failed to get any pay hike during Labour Day

Many workers grappling with job losses, high cost of living and low wages

All indications are that there may not be an increase in minimum wage this year. Several businesses have sent home their staff through redundancies.

By Macharia Kamau 27 days ago

Many workers grappling with job losses, high cost of living and low wages

Broke State agencies eat into Treasury's budget plan

Corporations owed government Sh921 billion as of June last year with some not paying a penny. President Ruto has committed to privatise at least five parastatals this year to ease the burden.

By Macharia Kamau 29 days ago

Broke State agencies eat into Treasury's budget plan

Ruto's maiden budget lays out priorities for bottom-up plan

Of the Sh3.59 trillion, Sh2.48 trillion will be for recurrent expenditure while Sh689.1 billion will form the development budget.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

Ruto's maiden budget lays out priorities for bottom-up plan

Auditor General now eyes law change to block wheeler-dealers

Gathungu said that the response to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in huge losses of public funds as State officials bypassed the normal public finance management systems.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

Auditor General now eyes law change to block wheeler-dealers

GDC appoints Paul Ngugi as Chief Executive

Mr Ngugi joined GDC in 2009 as the general manager for business development in charge of corporate strategy, planning and fundraising.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

GDC appoints Paul Ngugi as Chief Executive

State's headache over stalled roads as funds dry up

Treasury in the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) noted that the government’s spending for the 2023/24 financial year reflected certain emerging realities such as stalled projects and pending bills.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

State's headache over stalled roads as funds dry up

Treasury out to grow diaspora remittances and investments

Kenyans in the diaspora remitted Sh523 billion in 2022, up from Sh460.41 billion in 2021. Money sent home by Kenyans living and working abroad has since become the country’s top forex earner.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

Treasury out to grow diaspora remittances and investments

Households and firms cut fuel, power use as prices soar

Electricity prices started going up in September after holding steady between January and August.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

Households and firms cut fuel, power use as prices soar

Ghosts of the past return to haunt Davis Chirchir

The cost of power will further go up beginning April 1 following the new electricity tariff by Epra. This is despite the new administration insisting it plans to lower power costs.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

Ghosts of the past return to haunt Davis Chirchir

Kenya Airways, SAA dream big with continental airline plan

Kenya Airways and South African Airways are expected to launch their much anticipated Pan African carrier by the end of next year.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

Kenya Airways, SAA dream big with continental airline plan

Cost-cutting drive raises Britam's profit to Sh1.6b

The company's net profit stood at Sh72.12 million in 2021 after emerging from a Sh9.1 billion loss it made in 2020 following underperformance of its asset management division.

By Macharia Kamau 1 month ago

Cost-cutting drive raises Britam's profit to Sh1.6b

Kenya Airways slumps to record Sh38.2 billion loss

Kenya Airways has sunk deeper into loss-making, reporting yet another record loss after tax of Sh38.26 billion for the year to December 2022.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Kenya Airways slumps to record Sh38.2 billion loss

State's fuel import deal rattles industry, but no cheap fuel yet

Deal appears to have been structured to benefit certain players along the supply chain. The State had hoped to reduce demand on the dollar by accessing petroleum products on credit.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

State's fuel import deal rattles industry, but no cheap fuel yet

Households hit hardest as electricity prices to go up from next month

New rates will be a 58 per cent increase from the current tariff. Epra, however, says there’s an overall reduction in the cost of power for vulnerable.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Households hit hardest as electricity prices to go up from next month

Heat on Kenya Power over new billing format

Energy Committee had summoned the utility firm to explain why bills no longer show a breakdown of charges but the management was a no-show.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Heat on Kenya Power over new billing format

Dollar shortage plunges Kenya Power operations into darkness

Kenya Power needs to convert its revenues, which are all in local currency, to foreign currency – mostly dollars and euros – to pay the power producers as well as service loans.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Dollar shortage plunges Kenya Power operations into darkness

Why Monday's protests have rattled government, businesses

Many fear that mass action might weigh heavily on the economy that is yet to fully recover from the impact of Covid-19 and last year’s polls.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Why Monday's protests have rattled government, businesses

How Nock missed out on bumper fuel deal

Nock was skipped in the government-to-government deal that Kenya got into with other National Oil Companies from the Gulf States for the importation of petroleum products on credit.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

How Nock missed out on bumper fuel deal

Cytonn accused of frustrating efforts to recover funds

About 4,000 investors are reportedly owed Sh14 billion by the two funds but have not been able to get their money back after opting out of the two funds.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Cytonn accused of frustrating efforts to recover funds

Power sector agencies in limbo as search for new CEOs drags on

GDC is the latest firm to be without a substantive boss after sending its chief executive on terminal leave. Others are KenGen, Kenya Power and Ketraco, the latter two of which have had acting CEOs

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Power sector agencies in limbo as search for new CEOs drags on

High cost of fuel drives down consumption

A new report by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) shows that the consumption of different fuels dropped by 2.6 per cent following high prices that have persisted to date.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

High cost of fuel drives down consumption

Fuel importation deal will stem dollar shortage, not pump prices

The CBK keeps the foreign currency reserves such as dollars, euros, Japanese yen and other currencies as a financial safety net.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Fuel importation deal will stem dollar shortage, not pump prices

Bottlenecks hold back EAC trade despite strides

Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to trade in East Africa remain a major hurdle for businesses undertaking cross-border trade.

By Macharia Kamau 2 months ago

Bottlenecks hold back EAC trade despite strides

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