IKO NINI BWANA SEED

Image of a man trying to cool off in front of a fan

The number of extremely hot days every year when the temperature reaches 50C has doubled since the 1980s, a global BBC analysis has found.

They also now happen in more areas of the world than before, presenting unprecedented challenges to human health and to how we live.

The total number of days above 50C has increased in each decade since 1980. On average, between 1980 and 2009, temperatures passed 50C about 14 days a year.

The number rose to 26 days a year between 2010 and 2019.

In the same period, temperatures of 45C and above occurred on average an extra two weeks a year.

“The increase can be 100% attributed to the burning of fossil fuels,” says Dr Friederike Otto, associate director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford.

As the whole world warms, extreme temperatures become more likely.

High heat can be deadly for humans and nature, and cause major problems to buildings, roads and power systems.

Temperatures of 50C happen predominantly in the Middle East and Gulf regions.

And after record-breaking temperatures of 48.8C in Italy and 49.6C in Canada this summer, scientists have warned that days over 50C will happen elsewhere unless we cut fossil fuel emissions.

“We need to act quickly. The faster we cut our emissions, the better off we’ll all be,” says Dr Sihan Li, a climate researcher at the School of Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford.

“With continued emissions and lack of action, not only will these extreme heat events become more severe and more frequent, but emergency response and recovery will become more challenging,” warns Dr Li.

The BBC analysis also found that in the most recent decade, maximum temperatures increased by 0.5C compared with the long-term average from 1980 to 2009.

But these increases have not been felt equally around the world: Eastern Europe, southern Africa and Brazil saw some maximum temperatures rise by more than 1C, and parts of the Arctic and Middle East recorded increases of more than 2C.

Scientists are calling for urgent action from world leaders at a UN summit in Glasgow in November, where governments will be asked to commit to new emissions cuts in order to limit global temperature rises.

Impacts of extreme heat

This BBC analysis launches a documentary series called Life at 50C investigating how extreme heat is affecting lives across the world.

Even below 50C, high temperatures and humidity can create severe health risks.

As many as 1.2 billion people around the world could face heat stress conditions by 2100 if current levels of global warming continue, according to a study from Rutgers University in the US published last year. That is at least four times more than those affected today.

People are also facing difficult choices as the landscape around them changes, as extreme heat makes drought and wildfires more likely. While, other factors can contribute, climate change is also an important driving force behind desertification.

Sheikh Kazem Al Kaabi is a wheat farmer from a village in central Iraq. The land around him was once fertile enough to sustain him and his neighbours, but it has gradually become dry and barren.

“All this land was green, but all of that is gone. Now it is a desert, drought.”

Almost all the people from his village have moved away to look for work in other provinces.

“I lost my brother, dear friends and loyal neighbours. They shared everything with me, even my laughter. Now nobody shares anything with me, I’m just face-to-face with this empty land.”

The award recognises Finserve’s commitment to innovation and customer centricity

 

Nairobi, 13th September 2021… Equity Group’s fintech subsidiary, Finserve Africa, has been named the best in E-commerce – Banking/Financial and Insurance Services Gold Category at the 3rd Edition of the Kenya E-Commerce Awards 2021 held in Nairobi. The award recognises Finserve’s continued commitment to innovation and customer-centricity in Kenya and Africa.

Speaking while receiving the award, Finserve Africa Managing Director, Lanre Bamisebi who is also Equity Group IT and Operations Director said Finserve’s suite of products and services offer innovative solutions in payments, remittances and account settlements.

“Our solutions can be used in any industry and by any business, be it a small shop or a large organization. We offer users convenience and increased efficiency in operations and have recruited the best personnel in the industry to continue to offer our customers seamless services and support, and continue to remain on top of any trends in the industry,” said Lanre.

Finserve was borne out of a deep-seated need to break down financial barriers. The fintech employs data, insights and efficiency to develop solutions that provide richer customer experiences to address complex financial and lifestyle obstacles. Lanre said that Finserve took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to review its products in line with the changing business environment and economy.

“We noted the increase in remittance from the diaspora, with millions of transactions happening every month and came up with different solutions to support our clients during this period. We also noticed that the internet economy was expanding, driven by the accelerated shift of businesses online during the lockdown periods. By improving and upgrading our products, we were able to deliver better experiences for our customers, including the upgrade of our Equitel network to the 4G spectrum to give customers better browsing speeds. We also upgraded Jenga Payment Gateways and APIs to offer convenience in remittances processing, loan products, mobile payment solutions, and instant notifications on financial transactions among other solutions,” he added.

Finserve operates Equitel (MVNO), Jenga API integrations and Jenga Payment Gateway. Under Jenga 3.0, merchants have been enabled to self-onboard onto the platform without the need to call the back office. “We have incorporated artificial intelligence and machine learning, which is a holistic solution that will enable us to serve all our customers better,” said Lanre.

The Kenya E-Commerce Awards by Vibrant Digital was established to recognize and celebrate exceptional websites, platforms, suppliers and marketing from in-house teams and agencies across Kenya. The awards are held annually to reward the best e-commerce websites and service providers across multiple online retail sectors in the country. This year, 38 category awards were presented to exceptional players in different sectors.

The operator of the Nairobi Expressway, a toll road set to link the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Nairobi’s Westlands, has advertised 38 vacancies including 36 toll attendants ahead of the project’s completion.

The operator also advertised 2 positions for account clerks who will need to have a degree in commerce and hold a CPA 3 to qualify.

In a notice published on Tuesday, the recruiter said the 36 toll attendants’ slots are open to candidates with a degree or diploma in any field of study.

Key responsibilities for the toll attendants will include collection of payments from customers and data entry.

They will also be tasked with maintenance of accurate records of cash payment as well as issue receipts, refunds, change or tickets.

Account clerks will be tasked with financial analysis and reporting, bookkeeping, ensuring effective administration of petty cash/imprest and preparation of daily detailed cash analysis.

The recruiter said applicants should also be aged between within 20-35 age bracket and demonstrate basic computer skills with experience in Microsoft office suite. Those interested in the position are required to send their resume quoting the job title (Toll attendant /Account clerk) on the email subject line to nairobi.expressway.hr@outlook.com.

The expressway, a public-private partnership being undertaken jointly by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is set to become operational in June 2022.

Construction of the Sh59 billion Nairobi Expressway started in October 2019 and has come at a cost for businesses and residents with motorists enduring traffic snarl-ups on Mombasa Road.

The six-lane dual carriageway was designed withing the median of Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway and Waiyaki Way hence necessitating traffic diversions on sections of the affected roads.

Moja Expressway, a subsidiary of CRBC, will operate the road for 27 years to recoup funds through toll fees.

On completion, the expressway stretching 27km across Nairobi will ease traffic flows in and out of the center of the city and provide reliable access to Nairobi’s international airport: JKIA. – capitalfm.co.ke

Ukrainian President Zelensky met with US President Joe Biden while visiting the US to explore ways to make Bitcoin legal tender

 

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 01: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) meets with U.S. President Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the White House on September 01, 2021 in Washington, DC. This was the two leaders’ first face-to-face meeting and the first by a Ukrainian leader in more than four years.

 

Ukraine is gearing up to make Bitcoin legal tender, experts believe.

It is understood delegates from President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government have met with counterparts in El Salvador ahead of creating a plan to put cryptocurrency adoption at the top of the eastern European giant’s financial agenda.

Zelensky – a vocal Bitcoin evangelist – has already instructed ministers to transform Ukraine into a crypto-friendly nation.

Last week, the 43-year-old politician was in California on a fact-finding mission as he toured Silicon Valley, exploring opportunities where Ukraine can swiftly navigate itself into positioning digital assets alongside its traditional currency.

The plan, says Professor Vyacheslav Evgenyev, is for Ukraine to make Bitcoin legal tender by the start of 2023 and create a “duel-currency country” where Bitcoin sits alongside the fiat hryvnia before potentially being phased in as the dominant financial structure.

“Ukraine is a natural fit for such a plan,” said the Russian financial expert.

“The people of the Ukraine are not only prepared for a financial revolution, they are also used to it and expect it.”

The hryvnia, 25 years ago this week, replaced karbovanets in a secretive financial overhaul that still doesn’t sit well with Ukrainians to this day.

“You need to look at the dynamic of Ukraine to understand how and why its government’s plan to restructure towards a digital economy could actually be a real stroke of genius,” Prof Evgenyev explained.

“It has a young population eager to move out of the shadow of its noisy neighbour and shake off the financial chains which have restrained it for so many years.

“Russia’s overbearing influence in the concerns of Ukraine could prove to be the fuel to it needed for the engines of success.”

Bitcoin, he believes, may just be the magic potion required to wake a sleeping giant.

“The prospects here are enormous,” the professor adds.

“It has one of the most diverse energy mixes in the world, and has an enviable carbon offset that could draw miners in their thousands.

“Add to that a president who is from the same forge as Bukele, a young population, and a great desire for change and, well, you have a formula that could very easily be very successful, very quickly.”

Indeed, El Salvador’s forward-thinking premier Nayib Bukele may have already had a pressing influence on Zelensky’s hunger to implement his Bitcoin ambitions.

“They have been in constant discussion – sharing ideas, plans and thoughts on the future financial positions of their nations,” Evgenyev says.

“At the same time as when Zelensky was in America last week, a ministerial party of Ukraine’s biggest financial brains was in El Salvador looking very deep into their financial structure to use as a starting point to Ukraine’s blueprint.

“The project will take less than two years to complete, with or without the support of international financial authorities, and will see Bitcoin becoming the dominant currency of Ukraine.”

President Zelensky formally announced Ukraine’s arrival onto the crypto world stage in San Francisco last week.

Meeting with some of the region’s leading investors and digital finance influencers, he made it clear the Ukraine government was focused on establishing a digital state.

“Our meeting here in Silicon Valley is a great opportunity to discuss the prospects for the development of the IT sector and innovations in Ukraine,” he declared.

“Our country is rapidly transforming and adopting innovations. Over the past year, we have managed to make a real breakthrough in the digital sphere. At the same time, we still need to do a lot.”

Meeting with delegates from the Stellar Development Network, he hinted that work was already underway to establish a legal framework that would pave the way towards Bitcoin adoption.

“Ukraine is now the best magnet with blockchain and crypto specialists in Europe,” he boasted.

“And one of the vectors of development of Ukraine’s digital economy is the launch and development of a legal innovative market of virtual assets.”

Last week, El Salvador became the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender. Every citizen who was signed up to the program received $30 worth of Bitcoin pre-loaded onto a government sanctioned e-wallet. – www-cityam-com

 

A pimped car at Modz & Lights.

When Aloyce Omondi, the proprietor of Nairobi Pimp Auto Garage moved to the city in 2007, he was only coming to train as a mechanic, through apprenticeship. Knowing too well that the city was flooding with mechanics day by day, he had to be unique in his art.

He had an inborn art of drawing—and now he had become a motor enthusiast.

The sporty, flashy cars and how they dashed on the streets from the movies he watched, fascinated him so much that he swore to make the same someday.

He trained as a mechanic until he was confident to handle any vehicle by himself. Add to the intrinsic passion, he realised, the mix works magic. Yet, it was only when his then-employer entrusted him with pimping “Brainchild,” the first-ever modified matatu to ply the Nairobi’s Buruburu route, that he realised that was an unexplored field.

With more than a decade of experience in car modification, he says, the business has grown, thanks to Kenyans with Toyota Premios but want a Lexus design. Or those who want their Honda Civic to look like a Lamborghini, or a Toyota Wish to have a Subaru Impreza shape.

“These motorists crave car models they cannot have but want to feel as though they own one, that’s where I come in handy,” says Mr Omondi who is now known as ‘Engineer Omondi’ in the garage circles.

Whether they are racing ahead of manufacturers, car owners have been modifying different parts of their vehicles for aesthetic reasons or to improve performance.

So good is the car modification business that Suleiman Mwakuwanda, the owner of New Digital Cushion Makers in Majengo, Mombasa, says that it is will be hard for him to seek employment in another field.

He specialises in interior design and has been in the industry for 11 years now.

A majority of his clients are between 30 and 50 years old. For the older generation, Mr Suleiman says, they usually do not need much work done on their vehicles.

To pimp a vehicle’s interior alone, some of his clients can part with Sh200,000.

“It all depends on the type of modification. Some people want a very sophisticated design that raises the price, while others who just want it simple can pay Sh100,000,” says the 32-year-old.

The price largely depends on the quality of the material used, but it also helps the garage owners retain and woo new customers.

For Mr Suleiman, he says, it is creativity and precision that set him apart.

“Since this is a creative sector that has no particular formula, I strive to create my unique design,” he says.

In a month, he can work on more than 10 vehicles. So what do his clients ask for?

“For some, re-carpeting, putting rubber, checker plates, leather for the seats, rough and tough for the roof of the vehicle, and mirrors,” he says, adding that a client may also want an elaborate music system and a TV.

Mr Omondi says over the years, more and more garages are now “doing the same thing.” To stay ahead of the race, he does not import the car parts for remodelling because “that will make my services expensive.”

Importing the parts, he says, cost up to Sh90,000. Added to the taxes, the cost can go up to Sh120,000, plus additional installation charges of Sh20,000. He sources all of his modification materials locally.

“I don’t import the modified parts. We mold them here. The customer only sends us a photo of whatever he wants, we agree on the deliverable timeline and we get the job done,” he said, pointing at a molding clay.

He uses fibreglass, smoothers, molding clay and welding machines, and paints at various stages of the redesign.

Thanks to his prowess, he brags of a nationwide clientele.

“Most are referrals,” he says, adding that his garage is mostly frequented by car owners who are mostly between ages 30 and 40.

According to Mr Omondi, a complete car overhaul takes about two weeks. Each client’s request is unique and sometimes, even crazy.

“As crazy as wanting a sunroof for a vehicle that’s not authorised to have such,” he says.

However, it is these crazy modifications that are worrying insurers. They argue that modifications are making it hard to determine the risk profile of vehicles and therefore almost impossible to pick the right level of premiums.

While this is likely to dent the garage business, Mr Omondi is confident that his clients’ taste cannot be tamed by hiking the premiums.

“What usually happens in case of an accident, the insurance only caters for the original spare part and not the modified version. The client then tops up the deficit if they still want the modified versions to be fitted in their cars,” he says.

Car lighting

For Arun Kumar, an Information, Technology and Electricals graduate, he says he did a lot of research before quitting his previous job and settling on car lights modification as a profession.

A gaming enthusiast, the art of car modification was first a hobby before he commercialised it. He watched the modified car lights in games and translated them into the real world.

He has been running Modz & Lights Car Lighting Solutions for five years now.

Based in Ruiru, Kiambu, he says his business attracts mostly car owners in their 30s and 40s.

“They mostly ask for an upgrade when they can’t see at night,” he says.

“Sometimes, however, they just ask for adjustment for beauty.”

With the recommended warm-white light having a temperature of 5500K, increasing the brightness may mean endangering other motorists especially at night. The higher the temperature, the lower the visibility, and vice versa.

Traffic laws prohibit the use of too many bright headlights. But Mr Kumar argues that with newer technologies, he can adjust the lights be it to improve visibility or for beautification, without being a pain to other motorists.

The LED lights, he says, have the advantage of reducing the glare to zero. The inclusion of projectors in the lighting system translates to more focus at the centre of the road.

“The projectors also have the advantage of a sharp, clear-cut vision board, which then allows an oncoming motorist a looking space,” he says.

Classics modifications

Then, there are those Kenyans who love classics and vintages, but take great pleasure in having them customised to fit the modern trends —or something close to how it left the manufacturer in the 1930s.

Their satisfaction lies in seeing their engines revving and functioning just as the modern models.

It is for the love of classics and the rarity of finding spare parts that Benjamin Ngige decided to own a “classics restoration” garage to help Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts reinstate their old models.

His is not entirely modification, but more of restoration.

For the last seven years, Mr Ngige has operated @GermantouchKE, a classic Mercedes-Benz restoration centre, and he has worked on more than 50 vintage cars.

“I’m currently restoring a W108, W109, W114, W115, and a W116,” he told BDLife in a previous interview. – businessdailyafrica.com

The ongoing construction of the Nairobi Expressway along Waiyaki Way in Westlands on this photo taken on April 3, 2021.

The Nairobi Expressway will cost Sh7.6 billion more than initially indicated by Transport ministry officials, latest disclosures from the Chinese firm undertaking the project show.

China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the parent firm of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), which is funding and constructing the expressway, revealed in regulatory filings that the project’s contract value is $668 million (Sh72.8 billion).

The figure is higher than the $599 million (Sh65.2 billion) initial budget estimate provided by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).

“The value of contract of the BOT (build operate transfer) project of Kenya Nairobi Expressway Investment in the form of infrastructure and other investment project amounted to RMB 4,602 million equivalent to approximately $668 million,” says the publicly listed company in its latest annual report.

CCCC is listed on both the Shanghai and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges. Listed firms are required to make all contractual disclosures through regulatory filings to their shareholders.

Some contracts usually have escalation cost clauses to cater for factors such as design variations and steep rises in construction materials. The Sunday Nation could not establish if the rise in the cost was in any way linked to this.

Invested

CCCC however said in the regulatory filings that it has so far invested 1.19 billion RMB (Sh20.3 billion) at current exchange rates on building the Expressway.

Increased upfront construction costs could mean higher toll fees or a longer period for collection of toll fees from Kenyan motorists before the Chinese firm recoups its investment and hands the road over to the Kenyan government.

Contacted on the possible explanation for the higher costs of building the road, KeNHA referred the Sunday Nation to the Chinese firm.

“I suggest you get a clarification from them,” KeNHA communications officer Charles Njogu wrote in text message.

CCCC had not responded to our queries on the variance by the time of going to press.

CRBC will be granted a concession to operate the road and recover funds by charging motorists toll fees for 27 years before ceding it to the State. Moja Expressway, a subsidiary of CRBC, will operate the road.

Kenyans are expected to pay between Sh100 and Sh1, 550 in toll charges, depending on the size of the vehicle and distance covered. The toll charges will be dollar-based to cushion the Chinese operator from exchange rate losses.

CRBC recently kicked off recruitment of accountants and toll station attendants to collect toll fees as the pay-for-use project nears completion.

Operational

Late last month, KeNHA said the 27.1km highway is 57 per cent complete, with most heavy works done. Officials expect the project to be operational in June 2022, and not February as initially planned.

“Between now and December, we are likely to see all the heavy works involving deep excavation, diversions completed,” KeNHA chairman Wangai Ndirangu said last month.

“For the period between January 2022 and June 2022, we will proceed to install the infrastructure that will allow us to operate the road furniture, markings and the tolling booths.” – nation.africa

Kevin Kigima Ng’ang’a is the co-founder of Pokeapay, a fintech company that offers e-commerce digital marketing and payment solutions to small and medium sized businesses. 

 

I once got a windfall bonus of over Sh3 million at a very early age in my career.

At the time, I knew well that Safaricom shares were undervalued. The shares were trading at around Sh2.50 per share.

Instead of buying the shares, I spent the bonus on poor lifestyle choices that had no value. Safaricom shares are trading at highs of Sh42 per share today.

If I’d bought the Sh3 million shares at Sh2.50, my stake of about 1.2 million shares would today be worth about Sh50 million.

I also once made a significant financial investment in a mobile money distributor who never launched. I had not been so keen in doing my due diligence.

As a result, I failed to notice the red flags. Since then, I always task myself to give an objective probability of losing money in an investment.

I then decide if that figure is palatable for me, and enter the investment knowing I could lose a certain amount of money, and should not regret it if it doesn’t work out.

Before I co-founded Pokeapay, I led two of Kenya’s largest Online Forex Brokerages back-to-back at the age of 38. This achievement came from having very supportive core investors who understood my vision for building opportunities for Kenyans to trade and invest globally, an excellent team that supported my vision and the Capital Markets Authority which was very proactive in regulation.

We achieved unprecedented success with client trading volumes reaching $9 billion per month with over 5,000 investors in both entities and over Sh1 billion in investments.

Despite being in finance from a young age, I never embraced the power of compounding. This is something that I have now embraced through the use of the Money Market Funds which compound interest and pay at a higher rate than inflation.

I had tried to use chamas before. My money wasn’t compounded, which meant that the interest earned was below the inflation rate.

Entrepreneurship may be a better way to create wealth faster, but it isn’t for everyone. I believe that whether you are in employment or entrepreneurship, the risks you take and the decisions about the money you earn determine what side between wealth and struggle you end up on.

It won’t be the end of the world if your business idea fails. In fact, it will be better for you to know early and move on. There are alternatives you can use beyond your career to make passive income. Consultancy in your area of expertise and investments are some of them.

I have grown in my career and business through mentors, accountability partners, and networks. You will need a mentor in your line of business or career and an accountability partner to keep you in check.

These are people who do not have a personal stake in your success; who can be frank with you. You will also need a network to attract new business and contacts.

Opportunities present themselves through networks. Get interested in what people you meet are doing and stay in touch. – nation.africa

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani during the launch of Economic Survey Report 2021 on September 9, 2021.

Kenya’s economy has expanded by Sh515 billion than earlier thought after it was rebased to capture new sectors whose output had grown in recent years.

The review of national economic data — commonly known as rebasing — increased 2019 GDP in nominal terms to Sh10.2 trillion up from Sh9.7 trillion.

This was much lower than the 25.4 percent jump when Kenya rebased the economy a decade ago that increased 2013 GDP from Sh3.6 trillion to Sh4.3 trillion.

The rebasing in 2014 allowed the government to account for changes in the production structure, relative to product prices and products, which led to changes in the size of GDP, growth rates, contributions by sector, and related indicators.

Analysts say most of the economic sectors that had been unaccounted for were brought on board at the time, which meant subsequent rebasing would not yield similar gains.

“With Kenya rebasing its GDP, we expected an upward revision but not as big as the 25 percent, that we saw in 2014 because a sizeable share of the informal economy was incorporated then.

Plus, as the economy gets bigger, the percentage upside is likely to get smaller,” said Yvonne Mhango, acting head of Research Africa, Africa Economist at Renaissance Capital.

This is the seventh time Kenya’s economy will be undergoing rebasing, with previous ones in 1957, 1967, 1976, 1985, 2005, and 2014.

The rebasing in 2014 helped Kenya overtake countries such as Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Ghana and claim position nine in the list of largest economies in Africa from the previous 12.

The country also jumped about 10 spots globally from position 87, overtaking nations such as Guatemala, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, and Lebanon.

The UN Statistical Commission recommends that countries rebase every five years. Rebasing enables economic estimates to better account for the current structure of the economy and sectoral growth drivers and to better reflect the performance of the most important parts of the economy.

It also has significant implications on the type of financing countries can access on the global markets. The 2014 rebasing lifted the country to lower middle-income economic status and effectively locked it out from accessing most concessional financing available to low-income economic countries.

It, however, gave Kenya access to more commercial funding that saw it accumulate Eurobonds and syndicated loans, which accounted for about 26 percent of external public debt at the end of 2020.

The latest update saw a 34.7 percent drop in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, with the market value of growing crops declining more than Sh1.2 trillion.

Agriculture no longer represents a third of the economy but is still the biggest component after falling in the new structure to 20 percent from an average of 32 percent.

“The most notable change was in the contribution of agricultural activities to total GDP that shed 12.5 percentage points from a five-year average of 32.9 percent in the old series to 20.4 percent in the new series,” the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) said.

The most significant upward revisions in magnitudes of nominal gross value added were in transportation and storage, real estate, and public administration. Information and communication technology and professional scientific and technical activities were estimated at approximately double the previous levels.

The modest growth may help Kenya accommodate more debt. The Treasury has set out to borrow an additional Sh929 billion in the current fiscal year.

The higher GDP figures improve Kenya’s debt-to-GDP ratios and can, therefore, be applied by the country to justify the capacity to carry a larger debt load.

Kenya kicked off its fourth Eurobond offer this year with a promise to review the size of the economy.

The revised figures, however, mean that debt is currently 72 percent of the GDP for 2020, which is still above the set thresholds to measure sustainability.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukhur Yatani said the government was confident of growing the economy six percent on improved education and hospitality sectors, which suffered major losses last year.

He is, however, wary of a possible slump in agriculture due to lower than average rainfall in the first half of the year as well as the impact of high transport and energy prices on inflation and the economy. – businessdailyafrica.com

We read in James 1:4: “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James writes: ‘Be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.

If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given you…But when you ask…you must have faith…Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trus ted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all’ (vv. 2-8).

Note three things in this Scripture:1) Your faith grows when it’s tested. You’ll never know the strength of your anchor until you feel the blast of the storm. 2) God will give you wisdom to handle the test. Now, He won’t answer all your ‘whys’. So instead of questioning Him, you need to pray, ‘Lord, how do You want to use this trial to develop me spiritually? How can I co-operate with You to reap the maximum benefit? What changes do You desire to bring about in my life?’ Those are questions God will answer. 3) You must be willing to obey.

It’s possible to ask God for wisdom, then debate, stall, or mess around trying to decide whether or not to obey Him. ‘If you’re that kind of person…don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.’ When God gives you His wisdom, your first response should be: ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:10).