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IKO NINI BWANA SEED

UK ticket-holder wins record Euromillions jackpot of £195m

A UK ticket-holder has won a record Euromillions jackpot of £195m.
It is the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The winning numbers are 06, 23, 27, 40, 41, and the Lucky Stars are 02 and 12.
One ticket matched all seven numbers to scoop the huge jackpot win of £195,707,000.00 – the biggest winner of all time.
They also join the rarefied company of just 15 people in the UK who have ever won more than £100million.
“What an amazing night for one UK ticket-holder who has scooped the biggest-ever Euromillions jackpot of £195 million,” Camelot’s Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at the National Lottery, said.
“Players are urged to check their tickets and to give us a call if they think they are tonight’s record-breaking lucky winner.”

New UK record temperature set as UK hits 40C for first time ever

40.2C recorded at Heathrow. The UK has breached 40C for the first time ever as temperatures continue to climb.
Provisional figures from the Met Office have recorded 40.2C at Heathrow in London at 12.50pm.
The Met Office warned temperatures are “still climbing in many places”.
Earlier, the UK broke the record for its hottest day ever (which had previously been 38.7C recorded in 2019).
‘It’s no longer denial’: Scientists link heatwave to climate change
Many scientists have linked the unusually hot temperatures in Britain to climate change.
Pointing to the increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, they say it is clear that climate change is involved.
“The science is absolutely clear that climate change has its fingerprints all over this current hot spell,” Alex Deakin from the Met Office said.
They specifically point to the data and global records in terms of heat and CO2 levels.
The evidence
The Met Office looked at the summer of 2018, the joint warmest on record.
It found the chance of such a hot summer in a natural climate was just 0.5%. But because of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, that had increased to 12%.
In other words, a record summer is almost 30 times more likely now as a result of climate change.
For more on this, read our article below…
UK weather: ‘It’s no longer denial… it’s here’ – Why climate change will make this heatwave more dangerous
It’s raining in Somerset – and temperatures have plummeted
Coming as somewhat of a relief, it has started raining in Somerset in South West England, bringing low temperatures with it.
Sky News reporter Chris Robertson is in the west of the county on the coast, where the mercury has fallen to a comfortable 22C.
If you want to remember what rain sounds like – turn your volume up on the video below.
People who got into difficulty off Clacton Pier were ‘dragged by the tide’
As we’ve been reporting, a man is missing in the water off Clacton Pier in Essex – and we’ve had some more details on what happened.
Nigel Brown, communications manager for Clacton Pier, said about eight people had been in the water.
“Can I make it clear nobody jumped off the pier. These people were on a beach to the east of the pier, went in swimming and the tide and the currents dragged them towards, under the pier,” he said.
“Pier staff threw lifebelt rings over the side of the pier to help some of the casualties and they had about four of them on those.
“Eight of them were in the water but my understanding is four or five got into difficulty.”
Mr Brown said the group was “very worried” about one person they couldn’t see and were saying “there’s one missing”.
He said it was “difficult to tell their ages” and he believed it was a “mixed group of ages”.
The people he saw pulled from the water “looked late teens early 20s, some of them were fully clothed”, he said.
Two boys in hospital after being pulled from sea in Blackpool
Two boys are in hospital after being pulled from the sea in Blackpool on Monday, Lancashire Police said.
The boys, aged 12 and 14, were pulled from the sea near Central Pier by two teenage girls at about 6pm and given CPR by security staff before being taken to hospital, a force spokesman said.
The 14-year-old boy is in critical but stable condition and the 12-year-old’s condition is described as poorly, but not critical.
Superintendent Chris Hardy said: “This incident once again shows all too clearly the dangers that open water can present and I have no doubt that if it hadn’t been for the brave and swift actions of the two girls who helped pull these boys from the water, and the security staff who gave CPR, that we would have been dealing with at least one fatality.
“Over the last couple of weeks we have very sadly seen a number of youngsters across the country who have died after getting into difficulty in open water and a number of families left bereaved.”
Current temperatures across the UK
The UK has breached 40C for the first time ever – at Heathrow in London. But what are temperatures like elsewhere?
This Met Office map is accurate as of 1pm…
Firefighters tackle two grass fires in Croydon
Firefighters are tackling two grass fires in Croydon in south London.
The London Fire Brigade said four fire engines and around 25 firefighters are currently dealing with a fire in the woodlands on Oaks Road.
Another four engines are dealing with a grass fire on Chapel View in South Croydon, where around one hectare of woodland is currently alight.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said the the recent dry weather means grassland and parks will burn quickly when exposed to even the smallest of sparks.
“Common causes of grass fires include carelessly discarded cigarettes or matches as well as rubbish left lying around such as glass bottles, which can start flames by magnifying the sun’s rays.
“If you see a grass fire, don’t attempt to put it out yourself as grass fires can travel very quickly and change direction without warning. If you see signs of smouldering grass then call the Brigade and let us know where the fire is,” it added.
Dramatic lightning off Cornwall coast
Cornwall has been hit by storms with thunder and lightning.
The South West and south Wales were hit by heavy rainfall and thunderstorms as grey clouds flew in before 7am.
Cornwall can expect more of the anomalous weather, unlike in the rest of the UK where there is barely a cloud in sight.
However, as we have been reporting, there is a wider thunderstorm warning in place for tomorrow.
Police continue to search Thames for missing teenager
Officers are trawling the River Thames in southwest London in search of a 14-year-old boy thought to have drowned.
The teenager was seen entering the water at Tagg’s Island in Hampton yesterday but he has not been seen since.
After a search was unable to find him, he was presumed dead.
Our correspondent Matthew Thompson said the working theory among police is that he was playing around and jumped into the water from the bridge seen in the video below.
The damage will rise sharply as climate change accelerates – and so will the costs
This is now officially the most extreme heatwave on record in the UK, writes our science correspondent Thomas Moore.
The warmest-ever night has been followed by the warmest-ever day.
And temperatures will continue to climb for several more hours.
While the blistering heat is just uncomfortable for most, for some it can be serious.
The NHS is seeing a spike in 999 calls as people struggle with heat exhaustion or worse.
Sadly there will be deaths directly related to the temperature too.
Heatwaves are becoming more intense and more frequent as a result of climate change.
Temperatures of 40C are unprecedented now. But by the end of the century the Met Office predicts they’ll be reached every decade or so.
The damage from heat, storms and flooding will rise sharply as climate change accelerates – and so will the costs. Not just in repairs, but also in the adaptation that will become more and more pressing.
Our infrastructure and buildings are just not built for the heat we are experiencing now, let alone in the future.
And the longer it takes to reach net zero, the more extreme the weather will be in the future. Wavering on our climate commitments would end up costing us all more. – skynews.

UK heatwave: Amber warning in place as UK has hottest day of the year

An amber warning for extreme heat has begun for England and parts of Wales as the UK braces for record temperatures.
The Met Office warning extends to southern Scotland on Monday and Tuesday, when England’s alert rises to red for the first time.
On Sunday, temperatures exceeded 30C (86F) across England and Wales, with a high of 33C in Flintshire making it the UK’s hottest day of the year.
The heat could hit 41C on Monday, which would be a record for the UK.
The current temperature record of 38.7C was set in Cambridge in 2019.
On Sunday, Hawarden in Flintshire recorded 33C – making it Wales’s hottest day of the year so far, and the hottest for the UK overall.
The highest temperature in England was 32C in Nantwich, Cheshire, with 26.4C at Auchincruive in Ayrshire in Scotland.
Northern Ireland also had its hottest day of the year so far, with 27.7C recorded in Armagh.
Sunday’s weather saw packed beaches across the country, with cars queuing for several miles at Camber Sands in East Sussex.
Downing Street said the heatwave was being treated as a national emergency.
But people have been urged to take care near water as they try to cool off.
A teenage boy died after swimming in Salford Quays on Saturday, and a man is missing after entering a reservoir in West Yorkshire.
Meanwhile, water companies warned some households were experiencing lower water pressure and supply problems because of increased demand.
Affinity Water said households in London, Essex, and Surrey could be affected by lower pressure, Anglian Water said there had been supply interruptions in King’s Lynn, and South East Water also reported isolated problems.
The Met Office red heat warning for Monday and Tuesday – the highest level – covers an area including London, Manchester and York.
It is the first time it has been issued since the warning system for heat started last year.
The amber warnings in place for those days have been extended and now cover the rest of England, as well as all of Wales and southern Scotland.
An amber warning means health problems are more likely for some; substantial changes are required to work and routines; water safety incidents could increase as people head to the coast, lakes and rivers; and transport delays are possible.
Extra measures are being put in place by the government – more ambulance call handlers and extra capacity for the 111 helpline are planned for Monday and Tuesday.
Network Rail and Transport for London have warned people to travel only if necessary on Monday and Tuesday, and LNER said no trains would run between London and Leeds and York on Tuesday.
People have been asked to look out for vulnerable relatives and neighbours who may be suffering in the heat.
Thomas Waite, deputy chief medical officer for England, said people should keep themselves “well-hydrated over these exceptional couple of days” and seek out cool places.
The chairman of the NHS Confederation has said hospitals will be “really, really pushed” over the coming days. Lord Victor Adebowale told Times Radio the NHS “will cope” but “coping isn’t good enough”.
The government held an emergency Cobra meeting on Saturday to look at dealing with the heatwave. Labour criticised the prime minister for reportedly not attending, and for his plans to host a private lunch at Chequers on Sunday for some Conservative MPs.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner said Boris Johnson was “preparing to party while Britain boils”, accusing him of being “missing in action again”.
A map of the amber and red weather warnings
Meanwhile, amid the Tory leadership race, Alok Sharma, president for United Nations climate change summit COP26, said he would not rule out resigning if the prime ministerial candidates were weak on “net zero” – the government’s plans to cut climate-damaging carbon emissions.
The five Conservative leadership candidates have expressed varied levels of commitment to the policy.
In an interview with the Observer, Mr Sharma said some of those standing had been “lukewarm” on net zero and that the policy would be essential to prevent “incredible damage” to the country’s global standing.
“I don’t rule anything out and I don’t rule anything in,” he said, when pressed on whether he could resign over the issue.
Elsewhere:
Some schools will close early next week and some hospital appointments will be cancelled
The air conditioning on a children’s cancer ward in Cardiff failed
Chester Zoo said it would close on Monday and Tuesday for the safety of “staff, visitors, animals and plants”
In Europe, deadly wildfires have broken out in Portugal, Spain and southwestern France
Firefighters have urged people to choose picnics over barbeques because of the risk of wildfires
BBC Weather forecaster Susan Powell said the situation was unprecedented.
She said there was an 80% chance the UK would break its temperature record. Temperatures could reach as high as 41C in England on Monday, with 38C quite widely across England and Wales.
Tuesday is set to see highs of 40C, or above, in eastern England. Northern Ireland and Scotland could also see their temperature records broken, she said.
On top of that, the temperature overnight on Monday into Tuesday could also hit a new peak – with highs of 25C expected.
As well as the Met Office warning, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued its highest level four heat alert to health and care bodies – warning illness and death could occur “among the fit and healthy”.
Most deaths during a heatwave are usually heart attacks or strokes caused by the strain of trying to keep body temperatures stable.
Unions have expressed concerns for workers’ conditions in sweltering temperatures.
The TUC says businesses should let office staff work from home or adjust their hours to avoid rush-hour travel.
Unite says manual workers are particularly vulnerable: “Employers should consider rescheduling work to cooler times of the day, and provide cooling areas such as shade or air-conditioned rest rooms.
“If workers show any signs of heat exhaustion, the employer should immediately ensure they stop work and are allowed to recover, without loss of pay.”
Experts say that climate change is making heatwaves more likely as well as more intense and lasting longer.
The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the latter half of the 18th Century, and experts predict that temperatures will keep rising unless governments make steep cuts to emissions. – bbc

Keroche boss, staff celebrate as court orders reopening

Keroche Breweries CEO Tabitha Karanja. The High Court has ordered the reopening of her company pending the hearing and determination of a case filed by the brewer.
More than 400 workers at the Naivasha-based Keroche Breweries have breathed a sigh of relief after a court ordered the reopening of the company pending the hearing and determination of a case filed by the brewer.
The employees were staring at possible job losses following the closure of the company due to a tax row with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
The Keroche management was forced to temporarily send the workers home pending the court case.
Following the new court directive, hundreds of workers celebrated, with the company’s chief executive officer Tabitha Karanja being equally relieved.
Incurred huge losses
She admitted that the company had incurred huge losses during the closure period but was optimistic of an economic turnaround in the coming days.
In a matter heard virtually, High Court Judge Alfred Mabeya of the Milimani Commercial Division directed KRA, its officers, associates and agencies to “unseal the packaging line and stores”.
The court further directed the taxman to reactivate the exercisable goods management systems (EGMS) and allow the company to carry on with its business.
“The honourable court be pleased to, and hereby, issue orders restraining the respondent (KRA), its officers, associates, partners and those acting through it from closing, interfering with, disrupting the business of the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the application of the inter parties,” read the court order.
Replying affidavit
The court further ordered KRA to file and serve a replying affidavit within 14 days.
“That within 30-days thereafter, the parties do file and serve their respective submissions on a 15-day basis beginning with the applicant,” read the court order
The court ordered Keroche to, within seven days, pay KRA Sh8 million as first instalment of tax arrears and thereafter pay a similar amount on the 30th day after such payment until the hearing date.
The court further directed the brewer to continue meeting its tax obligation without fail.
The case will be mentioned on September 22, 2022,
The tax standoff pitting the liquor company and the taxman over accrued tax arrears of over a period of one year saw the company’s operations shut down, exposing over 400 workers and thousands of others in its distribution network to go without work. – nation.africa

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Email: emekapipi@hotmail.co.uk

Kenyan Economy at the Brink of Collapse – US Financial Firm Warns

President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and Kristalina Ivanova Georgieva-Kinova (right), the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund in photos dated September 2020FILE
Kenya is among developing countries facing an economic crisis, according to a report released by Moody’s Investors Service.
Moody’s, is an international financial firm that provides investors with credit ratings, risk analysis, and research for stocks, bonds, and government entities.
The survey, analysed and reported by Reuters, indicated that Kenya, Egypt, Tunisia, Ghana and other African countries are experiencing financial crises, as evidenced by traditional warning indicators.
Collapsing currencies caused by an almost depleted foreign exchange reserve were said to partly be part of the economic crisis, especially in Kenya.
David Rogovic, vice president and senior analyst at Moody’s Investors Service, stated that the quantity of debt owed compared to reserves and the fiscal difficulties Kenya is facing in managing debt loads make it vulnerable.
“These countries are the most vulnerable just because of the amount of debt coming due relative to reserves, and the fiscal challenges in terms of stabilising debt burdens.”
Kenya was reported to be spending almost 30 per cent of its income on interest payments.
Since it now lacks access to financing markets and has bonds worth over half a billion dollars that mature in 2024, Reuters noted that this situation is problematic.
Two weeks ago, Fitch, an international credit rating firm, also raised similar concerns noting that Kenya’s debt profile was at B+ which is a negative outlook.
This suggests Kenya may default on its loans or fail to honour its borrowing agreements.
The US Fed rate increase, a strong dollar, and high inflation, according to the agency, will make financial conditions difficult.
However, the rating agency indicated that Kenya’s grade was underpinned by a history of rapid growth and comparatively stable macroeconomic conditions.
Given that dollar payments make up 70 per cent of Kenya’s external debt, Fitch warned that the currency devaluation that has seen the shilling drop 3.6 per cent versus the US dollar could put additional strain on the country’s ability to repay its debt. – Kenyans.co.ke

Two police officers held in robbery with violence incident

Nkubu Police station where two police officers were arrested in connection to robbery with violence.
Police in Gatunga, Tharaka Nithi County, are holding two police officers in connection to an incident of violent robbery on Wednesday night.
Detectives picked Sergeant John Lekideyo and police constable Kelvin Kinyua based at Nkubu Police Station after robbery victims claimed that a vehicle used by the robbers belonged to Mr Lekidayo.
Police are also investigating a possibility that the AK-47 rifle used in the robbery near Ura Gate was issued by Mr Lekideyo who is in-charge of the armoury at the station.
Initial report indicates that on the material day, Mr Lekideyo had issued Mr Kinyua with an AK-47 rifle serial number 5423659 without booking the kind of duty they were attending.
He later discreetly returned the rifle in the armoury without notifying Nkubu OCS Syuki Munyi.
Mr Morris Mawira reported that he was transporting building hardware in company of two loaders, when his lorry was blocked by a white Toyota Fielder which had four occupants armed with an Ak-47 rifle.
They ordered Mr Mawira together with Mr David Kuyo and Mr Boniface Orito to get out of the lorry and bundled them inside the station wagon during the 8pm incident.
Some of the robbers took charge of the lorry and drove off, as the frightened trio were driven towards Meru and dumped in a maize plantation in Gaitu market.
The three then made their way to Gaitu police station where they made a report describing the vehicle and gun used.
After Mr Mawira made the report, police circulated an urgent message detailing the crime to nearby police stations.
It is then that officers at Nkubu Police Station alerted Mr Munyi that the white station wagon belonged to Mr Lekidayo.
It is reported that at one point between 5pm and 8pm, Mr Munyi had tried to call the former GSU officer but his calls went unanswered.
The following morning, the white station wagon whose number plates were circulated were found parked within Nkubu Police Station compound.
Imenti South police boss Abdirahman Musa said the lorry that had ferried the construction hardware goods was later found abandoned near Nithi River in Tharaka Nithi with goods stolen.
He said they had also handed over the rifle, three mobile phones belonging to the officers and the motor vehicle to Tharaka North DCIO for further investigations.
A Marimanti magistrate’s court allowed the sleuths 10 days to complete investigations. – nation.africa.

US-Kenya launch trade and investment partnership

Trade CS Betty Maina
Kenya and the United States have launched a strategic trade and investment partnership through which they will pursue commitments aimed at boosting economic growth and supporting African regional economic integration and other areas.
The US Trade Representative’s Office said on Thursday the two nations will start work within three months to develop a roadmap for engagement in areas of agriculture, digital trade, action on climate change, trade facilitation and customs procedures.
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina launched the partnership during a virtual meeting on Thursday.
In agriculture, the US and Kenya will consider measures to facilitate agricultural trade and enhance transparency and understanding of the application of science- and risk-based Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures.
“The two sides share an interest in fostering sustainable agricultural practices, as well as creating an enabling environment for innovative agricultural technologies that would help achieve food security goals, increase farm productivity, and improve farmer livelihoods, while addressing climate change concerns,” the USTR said in a statement.
The two countries will also focus on combating corruption through information sharing of best practices to prevent and combat bribery and corruption and will explore negotiating specific commitments.
Additionally, the two countries will discuss measures to support digital inclusion, including accessibility, and online consumer protection.
The two countries will also monitor global discussions on emerging issues in digital trade which are of mutual interest.
Sustained economic growth
“The United States and Kenya believe that the success of MSMEs (micro small and medium economic enterprises) small are key elements to promote sustained economic growth, including for women-owned enterprises. The two countries will discuss approaches to integrate MSMEs into international trade. The two sides will initiate periodic technical best practices exchanges and roundtables on micro, small and medium enterprises” the USTR said.
As part of the deal, the US and Kenya said they will push for enforcement and compliance with labour laws, promotion of social dialogue, and cooperation in other areas of mutual interest on labour and employment priorities, including concerning forced labour in global supply chains.
The two countries also agreed to support the participation of women and youth in trade by identifying resources to support their economic empowerment.
On trade, the two sides will discuss opportunities to simplify procedures, especially those that allow new entrants to engage in trade.
“ In this regard, the two sides will consider various customs practices, transparency, and cooperation on customs enforcement to inform mutual understanding, including the agreement between the Government of the United States and the Republic of Kenya Regarding Mutual Assistance between their Customs Administrations, signed at Washington on August 6, 2014, as well as explore other topics of engagement, including trusted trader benefits for demonstrated low-risk importers, particularly those that participate in their respective country’s Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme,” the USTR said. – nation.africa.

East African GDP jumps to Sh29trn after DRC joins bloc

EAC Heads of States during the Signing Ceremony of Treaty of Accession by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the East African Community at State House, Nairobi. PHOTO | PSCU
The Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday completed the last and most important step of joining the East African Community (EAC).
At a function held at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, on Monday, the DRC officially became a member of the EAC after depositing instruments of ratification on the accession of the EAC Treaty with the bloc’s secretariat.
DRC now has full rights and privileges like any EAC member to participate in EAC’s programmes and activities and affirms to meet the obligations of the EAC.
With a population of about 92 million people, it holds almost half of the population of the EAC member states and is thus a huge market.
The entry of DRC portends growth in various sectors, and also increases the population to above 300 million.
The combined gross domestic product (GDP) will also rise to $250 Billion (Sh28.8 trillion).
The DRC’s entry is expected to remove restrictions on the free movement of people and goods and increase intra-EAC exports to the DRC, which currently stand at $7.4 billion.
Handing over the instrument of ratification to the EAC secretary-general, DRC Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’ Apala, said the entry of his country into the EAC was an economic, cultural, geographical and historical obligation.
“The admission of DRC into the bloc is a fulfilment of the vision of the founding fathers of the Organisation of African Unity (now African Union) including Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba all of whom wanted a strong, united and prosperous continent where people could trade and move freely,” said Mr Apala Pen’ Apala.
“Our entry will strengthen the bloc’s economic, political, socio-cultural, financial and military muscle.”
Depositing of instruments of ratification with the EAC secretary-general is the final step in the admission of a new member — as stipulated in the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.
“This is a formalisation of a situation that has always been in existence. Somehow we can say the DRC joined their people,” said Mr Apala Pen’ Apala.
Often referred to as the ‘Giant of Africa’, the DRC presents a huge trade opportunity.
So far, almost half of the trade between the DRC and the EAC has been informal, implying that the potential for trade hasn’t been optimised.
“Admission of DRC into the EAC comes with increased GDP and expanded market size making EAC a home to about 300 million people, which is mutually beneficial to the people of both EAC and DRC by providing employment and investment opportunities that come along with this new development,” said Dr Peter Mathuki, the EAC secretary-general.
“The expanded membership makes the community bigger, with close to 50 percent increase in population, 22 percent increase in GDP and 79 percent expanded territorial area, spanning from the Indian to the Atlantic Ocean.”
The EAC anticipates that with lower tariffs on goods and the removal of trading restrictions among the partner states, goods and services will move more freely.
“Over the last seven years, the proportion of EAC exports to the DRC has averaged 13.5percent. But with the DRC now in the EAC, this is likely to change,” said Dr Mathuki.
“This milestone presents numerous opportunities for the people of the wider East Africa to take advantage of opportunities in trade, agriculture, manufacturing, technology, natural resources, education, and other fields of mutual interest.”
EAC trade with DRC has largely been informal and opportunities are hindered by the high cost of doing business due to the prevalence of non-tariff barriers.
With a larger market, manufacturers in the EAC, whether large or small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will benefit from economies of scale, making them increasingly efficient and competitive.
“DRC has the potential for trade within the region and each EAC partner state is currently seeking a share of that trade,” said Dr Kevit Desai, the EAC and Regional Development PS.
The DRC shares borders with five of the partner states — Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.
Kinshasa joining the community will open the corridor from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, as well as from North to South, expanding the economic potential of the region.
Kenyan firms that have expressed interest in the DRC include Jubilee Insurance, Equity Bank and the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), which have started a plan to enter the country through the acquisition of an existing lender.
“The fact that Equity has subsidiaries in DRC, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, and Nairobi is the logistics hub for DRC’s needs for health, education and trade put us in the right place at the right time,” said Dr James Mwangi, the Equity Group CEO.
DRC’s entry also requires integrating the EAC’s trade infrastructure, intermodal connectivity, One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), and trade systems to reduce trade time and costs.
The joining of the DRC into the EAC will harmonise monetary and fiscal policy in the region making it easier to standardise tax regimes, improve cross-border trade and promote the free movement of persons and labour.
DRC imports more goods from China than the EAC and her entry into the regional bloc is likely to change the scenario.
The most sought-after products in DRC were non-alcoholic beverages ($ 55.2 million), raw cane sugar ($ 49.2 million), food preparations ($ 37.3 million) and sweet biscuits ($ 31 million).
In the textiles cluster, the DRC imported products worth $ 235.7 million in 2019, of which 54.6percent ($ 128.9 million) was supplied by China, according to a study report carried out by the East African Business Council dubbed, ‘The Opportunities for Trade in the DRC, a Perspective from East Africa 2019’.
In this category, the most sought-after were worn clothing and clothing accessories ($ 37.2 million), plain woven fabrics of cotton ($23.9 million), woven fabrics of yarn ($ 9.6 million) and men’s or boy’s trousers ($ 7.9 million), which the EAC must now position itself to supply.
Following its entry, the DRC will also be required to nominate nine members to the East African Legislative Assembly before the end of the year.
“The earliest the DRC’s members of Parliament will be able to join the East African Legislative Assembly is by December 2022 when the elections for new EALA members will be made,” said Aden Abdikadir, EALA MP. – nation.africa.

Senior traffic police officer could lose wealth to state

Chief Inspector Gabriel Mbiti Mulei at work at Malindi Police Station. The court on Wednesday ruled that he failed to show the source of millions of shillings in his bank accounts among other assets.
A well-heeled traffic police officer who could not explain how he acquired his vast wealth could lose it all to the state after the High Court gave the anti-graft agency the nod to recover the properties.
Chief Inspector Gabriel Mbiti Mulei is likely to surrender Sh10.5 million held in his four bank accounts, seven parcels of land valued at Sh19.4 million, five vehicles and one motorcycle.
Ruling on a forfeiture suit filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in 2015 on suspicion that the officer was involved in corruption, Justice Njoki Mwangi said the properties constitute unexplained assets.
She ordered him to pay to the government a sum of Sh10,536,199 being the cumulative amount he deposited in his bank accounts between June 18, 2008 and February 18, 2011.
“It is my finding that Mulei did not offer any explanation as to why deposits amounting to Sh10,536,199 were made to his various bank accounts, excluding his salary account,” said the judge.
The amount should be paid within 30 days. The parcels of land are in Malindi, Kwale Township and Ndithini/Mananja. His monthly net salary was approximately Sh20,000, court papers indicate.
The judge ruled that he failed to show the source of the funds used to acquire the plots and the vehicles.
The court found that the Malindi traffic base commander failed to explain how he had acquired the assets, which were not commensurate with his known legitimate source of income.
Raise questions
“The properties the subject of this suit, as well as the deposits in his bank accounts, raise questions with respect to their sources. I am satisfied, on the evidence placed before me by EACC, that Mulei has unexplained assets,” said Justice Mwangi.
She said the officer had the evidential burden to offer a satisfactory explanation on the legitimate acquisition of the assets. “When the burden of proof shifted to him, he made a feeble attempt to respond to the claims by EACC by stating that he had been in active employment for two decades and had been earning a decent salary,” said the judge.
The officer had also stated that he had engaged in “side business”, which had added to his income. In addition, he said he had served in different places in Coast and that he was a member of the police sacco.
He had denied owning any land in Kwale or Malindi but admitted to the ownership of the plots in Ndithini/Mananja, which he stated were obtained through payment by installments, funds from shooting competitions and loans.
Trace the records
He, however, said he could not trace the records for the purchase of the said parcels of land.
EACC claimed that between June 18, 2008 and February 18, 2011, the officer had made cash and cheque deposits totaling Sh10.5 million in his bank accounts, excluding his salary account. Bank statements and the officer’s transactions were produced in court.
The court heard that EACC received information to the effect that Mulei was soliciting for bribes from road users in Malindi while serving as the traffic base commander. He was deployed to Malindi in February 2008.
EACC investigator Mutembei Nyagah said a search at Mulei’s house resulted in the retrieval of documents that established he had accounts at Barclays, Equity, Cooperative and Standard Chartered banks.
Mr Nyagah said the accounts were reasonably suspected to have been used as “conduits” for acquisition and concealment of illicit wealth.
It was also stated that Mulei’s salary account at Barclays Bank Nairobi demonstrated that in the entire period of service as the base commander, he had received several millions of shillings over his salary. – nation.africa.

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