Author: David Indeje

Kenya’s present overall COVID-19 case positivity rate of 22 per cent is the highest this year according to the Ministry of Health on Monday In line with sentiments from doctors, the pandemic is not close to being under control. According to the Ministry, 1130 people had tested positive for COVID-19 from a sample size of 5119, pushing the total of confirmed cases to 122,040. The ministry said cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,419,984 since the first case was reported. “754 patients have recovered from the disease bringing the total to 90,376, ” the ministry disclosed adding that unfortunately, 12…

Carbacid Investments and Aksaya Investments plan to take over BOC Kenya forKSh 1.24 billion is in troubled waters, pending the hearing of an appeal at the Capital Markets Tribunal. BOC Kenya, a leading supplier of industrial, medical, and special gases in a cautionary announcement to shareholders and the public, an appeal was filed on 2 March 2021 in respect to the take-over offer by the two. “Pending further guidance from the CMA and or CMT, we wish to inform you that no further action should be taken in relation to the activities set out in the transaction timetable provided in…

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo unveiled its range of devices – Reno 5 and Reno5 F in the Kenyan market. We shall speak more of the Reno 5 Priced at Ksh41,999 flashes a quad rear camera set-up with an in-display fingerprint scanner. Reno5 features two industry firsts in the form of AI Mixed Portrait – the first double exposure video effect for smartphone – and AI Highlight Video, an industry-leading feature which uses intelligent light detection to combine OPPO’s advanced Ultra Night Video Algorithms and Live HDR Algorithms to significantly enhance video quality in dim and backlit scenes.  With these…

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) says the new deadline for coffee brokers to get new licences has been set to July 1, 2021. Currently, the brokers are using the old payment rules in a bid to facilitate transitional arrangements in the sector. In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the regulatory board said, “In line with Regulation 8 of the Capital Markets (Coffee Exchange) Regulations, 2020 marketing agents intending to operate as coffee brokers at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange should apply to the authority for licensing.” The regulations were gazetted by the cabinet secretary for the National Treasury and Planning…

Kenyans working overseas sent home USD 260.2 million in February 2021, an increase of 18.9 per cent compared to last year, according to Central Bank. However, this was a drop from what was received in January. In 2020, the Kenyan diaspora send in USD 219.0 million in February.  “The cumulative inflows in the 12 months to February 2021 totalled USD 3,155 million compared to USD 2,831 million in the 12 months to February 2020, an increase of 11.4 per cent,” CBK said in its weekly bulletin. CBK conducts a survey on remittance inflows every month through formal channels that include…

Airtel Africa to explore the potential listing of mobile money business within four years Investment firm TPG’s Rise Fund will invest USD 200 million in Airtel Africa’s mobile money business at a valuation of $2.65 billion, Bharti Airtel said on Thursday. The Rise Fund will provide the funds in two batches — $150 million first and then the remaining $50 million in a second round. With this transaction, Rise Fund is estimated to get 7.5 per cent stake in Airtel Mobile Commerce AMC BV which is currently the holding company for several of Airtel Africas mobile money operations. “The transaction…