Author: Muindi

Universal Music Group (UMG) the world leader in music entertainment, has strengthened its presence in Africa through a new leadership to support and grow the continent’s domestic music ecosystems. The company says this will also help in creating new opportunities for African talent to reach new audiences globally. To help lead in the expansion, Sipho Dlamini has been promoted to CEO, Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.  Dlamini will continue to oversee all of UMG’s operations within English-speaking Africa. In his new role, Dlamini will continue to work closely with Adam Granite, UMG’s EVP, Market Development, to identify further…

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has adopted eleven standards allowing Kenyan cosmetics products to access regional markets.  The new standards will also ensure the quality, fitness for use, and safety of the cosmetics to the consumers by controlling specific crucial parameters such as raw material requirements, and limits for heavy metal and microbiological contaminants. “The new standards will facilitate trade in cosmetic products produced within the Partner States in the East African Community by use of harmonized standards,” says Lt Col (Rtd.) Bernard Njiraini, Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards. Some of the products covered in the standards include…

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)  launched Kenya’s first formal over-the-counter (OTC) market platform to facilitate the trading, clearing and settlement of securities of unquoted companies. According to the Nairobi bourse, the OTC will enable unlisted commercial banks, cooperative societies and private companies access the benefits of an efficient OTC market anchored on leading technology capabilities and resources. The launch follows the approval from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) to set up the platform, formally known as the Unquoted Securities Platform (USP), which will also help unlisted firms raise capital through private placement. It will also allow trading, clearing, and settlement of…

Kenyan legislators have been ordered to pay back KSh 1.2 billion ($10 million) by the High Court which ruled that the money had been unlawfully given to them as housing allowances. A three-judge bench, Justices Pauline Nyamweya, Weldon Korir and John Mativo ordered clerks of the Senate and the National Assembly to recover in full the KSh1.2 billion from the lawmakers’ salaries and allowances within a period of 12 months.  “…pursuant to the illegal and unconstitutional decision of the Parliamentary Service Commission to set, and approve the payment of accommodation or house allowance to Members of Parliament contrary to the…

The Kenyan High Court is expected to give its judgement on Thursday on Petition 122 of 2013, which seeks to secure justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence during the 2007/2008 post-election violence. The petition filed in 2014 by eight survivors of the 2007-08 PEV and civil society organisations-the Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya), the Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW); the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR). The case was filed against the government for its failure to protect victims of SGBV during the violence, its failure to investigate…

Tullow Oil’s license for oil exploration in blocks 10BB and 13  in the South Lokichar basin scheme has been extended until 2021. In a statement, the British oil and gas exploration company said the license extension will allow its joint venture partners to re-assess Project Oil Kenya. The partners include Total, and Africa Oil.  They will work closely with the government on land and water agreements to gain the approval of the environmental and social impact assessments and finalising the commercial framework for the project. “I would like to thank the Government of Kenya for granting this extension which the…