Kenya: Govt to Spend Sh20 Million to Rebuild Schools Attacked By Terrorists

The national government has released Sh20 million for the reconstruction of buildings and other amenities destroyed during Al-Shabaab in Lamu County.   Addressing journalists in Lamu town on Monday, Linda Boni Operation Director Mr James Ole Serian said the funds will be used to reconstruct classrooms in various schools and dispensaries that were burnt down by Al-Shabaab in raids between 2014 and 2015.   Mr Serian said Sh2milion will be used to reconstruct a classroom.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 31st January 2017

AU Tells Member States to Prioritise Agriculture, Grow Economies

The African Union (AU) has called on the member states to prioritise agriculture to grow their economies.   The AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Mrs  Tumusiime Rhoda Peace , said that experience from elsewhere indicated a positive correlation between development and modernisation of agriculture.   She made the remarks Thursday afternoon in Addis Ababa ahead of the Heads of Sates Summit, scheduled for the weekend.   "Most of the.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Kenya: More SGR Locomotives, Coaches Arrive as June Commission Date Nears

Two passenger locomotives, four freight locomotives and 31 passenger coaches are expected at the Mombasa Port on Saturday as the contractor races to beat the June deadline when the Standard Gauge Railway is expected to be commissioned.   Each of the soft-seat coaches can accommodate 72 passengers while the hard-seat ones have a capacity of 118 passengers.   According a statement by Transport ministry, officials from the China Road and Bridge Corporation, Kenya Railways.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Rwanda: Govt. to Split Natural Resources Authority into Three Bodies

The government has introduced a Bill that seeks to dissolve the Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) and form three independent and specialised bodies focused on oil, gas, and minerals as well as land, water, and forestry.   The Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta, introduced the draft law in the Lower House, on Friday, and its basis was unanimously approved by MPs, which means that laws governing the new bodies will be assessed at the House's committee level.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Kenya: Governors to Hire Doctors on Contract Basis to Ease Burden

Governors said they will employ doctors on a three-year renewable contract as opposed to the current permanent work terms.   This, they said, will help them engage the doctors on a more sober manner as compared to now when they are permanent and under the national government.   The county bosses have threatened to sack doctors who have been on strike, saying they had run out of patience.   Council of Governors health committee chairman Jack Ranguma on Sunday told.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Tanzania: Standard Gauge Railway Project Still Up for Grabs

Dar es Salaam — The government has explained that it is yet to enter into any exclusive deal with any country or company with regard to the funding and implementation of the project to upgrade the Central Railway Line to a standard gauge.   This was revealed yesterday by the Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Prof Makame Mbarawa, in an exclusive interview with The Citizen.   Earlier this week, during the visit by Turkey leader Recep Erdogan,.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Tanzania: Focus on Agro Processing Can Save Millions in Raw Crop Exports

Dar es Salaam — Tanzania losses over Sh1.6 trillion annually through exports of raw cashewnuts and importation of sugar, edible oil and milk.   This money could be saved if the country focuses on agro processing, agriculture experts who met in Dar es Salaam today have observed.   The lost money include $110 million from raw export of cashewnuts and $250 million in sugar importation. There is also $358 million through importation of edible oil and $20 million from.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Tanzania: Military Uniforms to be Sourced from Local Industries - Ministry

The Ministry of Home Affairs will soon begin to source materials for military uniforms from local industries, a move that will reduce the cost of importing them through Procurement Entities (PEs).   The declaration was made in Dar es Salaam by Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Major General (rtd) Projest Rwegasira while visiting NIDA and Urafiki Textile Mills in the city yesterday to see for himself the quality of their products, before his ministry.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Tanzania: Oil & Gas Firms Drill Two New Offshore Wells

Royal Dutch Shell Plc jointly with Pavilion Energy Pte Ltd and Ophir Energy Plc have completed drilling two offshore natural gas wells in southern Tanzania.   Netherlands-based Shell, which took over the global operations of BG Group last year, jointly owns deep sea blocks 1, 3 and 4 with Pavilion of Singapore and Ophir of Britain.   The joint venture partners started drilling Kitatange-1 well in block 1 and Bunju-1 well in block 4 in the Mafia Basin in early November.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Kenya: Konza City to be African Tech Hub with Independent Fiber Optic Links

Konza city will be connected to two independent fiber links by March 2017.   This is according to a tweet posted on the Konza Techno CIty Twitter platform, @konzatechnocity.   In earlier updates, the hub had already tapped into the National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI), which will see the techno city connected with three separate high speed internet infrastructure.   On completion, the techno city which is lying between the abundant submarine cable.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Kenya: Mombasa Cement to Build $2.5 Million Wind Farm

Mombasa Cement is set to build a 36 megawatt (MW) wind farm in Kilifi for its own use and sale to Kenya Power.   The project, which consists of 12 turbines of 3MW each, will cost an estimated Sh260 million, according to regulatory filings submitted by the cement manufacturer.   The wind park will be build on a section of the 1,200 acres of land Mombasa Cement owns in Vipingo, on which it already operates a clinker factory that feeds its main plant in Athi.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017

Kenya: Mombasa Cement to Construct 36 MW Wind Energy Project

Mombasa Cement is set to build a 36 megawatt (MW) wind farm in Kilifi for its own use and sale to Kenya Power.   The project, which consists of 12 turbines of 3MW each, will cost an estimated Sh260 million, according to regulatory filings submitted by the cement manufacturer.   The wind park will be build on a section of the 1,200 acres of land Mombasa Cement owns in Vipingo, on which it already operates a clinker factory that feeds its main plant in Athi.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 30th January 2017