IKO NINI BWANA SEED

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).

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People in Scotland will need proof they have been fully vaccinated before they can enter nightclubs and many large events from 1 October.

The vaccine passport plan was formally approved by Holyrood after the SNP and Greens voted in favour.

Some businesses have complained of a lack of detail about how the scheme will work in practice.

The proposals were opposed by the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the system would reduce the risk of transmission and help prevent venues – many of which have only recently reopened – from having to close again due to Covid.

A paper published by the government on Thursday morning, just hours before the vote in the Scottish Parliament, said officials were still working to define what a nightclub actually is.

And it said evidence was still being gathered about the effectiveness of similar schemes elsewhere in the world.

People in England will need to have a “Covid pass” to access “higher risk” settings such as nightclubs from the end of this month.

There are no current plans to introduce a similar scheme in Wales or Northern Ireland.

The new rules will mean people over the age of 18 in Scotland will need to show they have had both doses of the vaccine before they are allowed entry to:

Nightclubs and adult entertainment venues

Unseated indoor live events, with more than 500 people in the audience

Unseated outdoor live events, with more than 4,000 people in the audience

Any event, of any nature, which has more than 10,000 people in attendance

It means that many major sporting events – particularly football matches – will be affected, as will concerts and music festivals.

People who have had two vaccines in Scotland can already download or get a paper copy of a certificate with a QR code.

By the end of the month, it is expected that this code will also be available on a new NHS Scotland Status app.

These codes can be scanned at a venue to confirm the user is fully vaccinated.

Anyone who has good reasons for not getting fully vaccinated – including children and people with particular medical conditions – will be exempt.

A major goal of the scheme is to encourage more younger people to be vaccinated – with the latest figures showing that uptake among those under the age of 40 in Scotland has been lower than older age groups.

Many areas of Scotland have seen some of the highest Covid rates in Europe in recent weeks – although there are signs that the surge in cases is beginning to slow down.

The number of people in hospital and intensive care units has also been steadily rising, with health professionals warning that that NHS is coming under increasing strain.

Mr Swinney said Scotland was in a “fragile position” with Covid-19 case rates still high, telling MSPs that “we all recognise the need to try all we can to protect the return to greater normality that we have experienced in recent weeks”.

Coronavirus in the UK

He said the scheme would reduce the risk of transmission in some settings, allowing those venues to “operate more safely when the potential alternative would be closure”.

Mr Swinney said it would also protect vulnerable people who cannot be vaccinated, and would encourage others to come forward for a jab.

He said: “On balance – given the benefits to individuals, to the health of the population, and as a way to keep certain venues and events open – a certification scheme is a proportionate step to take.”

Mr Swinney had been critical of vaccine passports when the proposals for England were unveiled by the prime minister, as had Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and the SNP’s partners in government, the Scottish Greens.

Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said the facts on the ground had changed – and that the scheme was “worth considering when cases are running at around 7,000 a day and once the entire adult population has had two doses”.

Hospitality groups have called for more details about how the system will work, while a football supporters association said it was “concerned about inequalities” shutting some fans out of games.

Leon Thompson of the trade body UK Hospitality Scotland told BBC Scotland there had been “very rushed and hurried conversations with officials” in recent days, with members “very concerned” about the practicalities of the plans.

Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said it would “directly impact on consumer confidence and risks creating further financial damage to those sectors who have already been hardest hit by Covid-19”.

CBI Scotland director Tracy Black said vaccine passports had the potential to be “a useful tool in managing risk in large venues” – but that there needed to be “close cooperation and coordination” with businesses.

The Scottish Tories voted against the proposals despite the Conservative UK government planning to introduce a similar system.

Leader Douglas Ross said not enough detail had been provided about the Scottish scheme, and that the government should not be asking MSPs to “impose” a vaccine certification scheme on establishments it was not able to define.

He said: “A responsible government should bring forward proposals that are able to be enacted.

“We are in a really difficult position as politicians seeking to make a decision on an extremely difficult subject if the government cannot even give us simple information.”

Scottish Labour also opposed the plans, with deputy leader Jackie Baillie saying there was a “practical question about the government’s ability to even implement this”.

‘Illiberal course’

She said people with a vaccination certificate could still have the virus and be infectious, saying ministers were in danger of giving people a false sense of confidence that they were “invincible”.

Ms Baillie said the government should “not simply reach for anything just to be seen to take action, and end up making things worse”.

And Alex Cole-Hamilton said his Scottish Liberal Democrats were “fundamentally opposed to the plans, which he said set the country on a “disturbing and illiberal course”.

He added: “Medical ID cards will be introduced by this coalition tonight and liberals will immediately begin the campaign to see their abolition.” – skynews

It’s a place where you can get a world-class dinner, cozy up in the finest bedding, and maybe run into a zebra on the way to the bathroom.

In 2007, Sir Richard Branson was made a Maasai Elder. The entrepreneur, traveler, and knight was bestowed the honor for “bringing prosperity to the land” through his new venture Mahali Mzuri, a luxury safari camp located in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy in Kenya. Now, nearly a decade and a half later, the camp is a must-visit destination for world travelers. Need proof? It was voted best hotel overall worldwide in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2021.

“Through a relationship with Jake Grieves Cook, formerly Chair of the Kenya Tourism Federation and now operating a partner camp in the neighboring conservancy, Richard was made aware of a severe environmental threat to the Maasai Mara ecosystem,” the resort’s website explains as to how the camp came about. “Jake proposed that Richard and a number of others invest in the area with a view to expanding the protected area for the benefit of both the local community and wildlife alike.” From there, Mahali Mzuri, which means “beautiful place” in Swahili, was born.

At the safari camp, guests can sleep in one of its 12 luxury tents amid the Maasai Mara ecosystem. Though really, calling these accommodations “tents” doesn’t really do them justice. Inside each tent, guests will find an ensuite private bath, cozy bedding, leather furniture for lounging, grand clawfoot soaking tubs, and expansive windows and doors that open up to a massive deck so guests can watch the sun come up, go down, and everything in between.

“Due to Mahali Mzuri’s excellent location on the Kenyan plains, you’ll have a front-row seat, not just to the annual great migration, but also to the abundant game you can see all year round,” the hotel adds on its website. “Our super stylish tented suites make for the perfect retreat during your stay. We can cater for up to 24 guests in the camp at any one time, so you are guaranteed peace and quiet, as well as excellent customer service at all times.”

And though the camp is located in some rather remote wilderness, its chefs still manage to cook up world-class bites each and every night. At the camp, guests will dine on pan-African cuisine using locally sourced produce, and even get the chance to dig into bush BBQs, champagne picnics, and of course, experience the famous safari “sundowner.”

As for activities, well, there’s really only one reason you’re here: game drives. And this camp more than delivers.

“A number of lion pride territories meet in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy which can make for some interesting encounters as the different groups battle for dominance,” the hotel notes. “The area is also home to roughly 150,000 Loita wildebeest that don’t make the annual migration south and seem content to ‘loiter’ all year round! Of course one of the biggest draws to the area is the annual ‘Great Migration,’ which sees up to one million wildebeest plus hundreds of thousands of zebra, gazelles, and other game undertake a journey of roughly 1,600km through Tanzania and Kenya.”

Ready to see all the animals, taste the delicious food, and experience the best in hospitality in Kenya? See more about the camp and book your stay at this beloved spot here.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

AFP
Tanzania on Thursday ratified the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), effectively joining a pact connecting countries with a total gross domestic product $3.4 trillion.

Minister of Industry and Trade, Kitila Mkumbo, made the announcement via Twitter, noting the country has joined a market of 1.2 billion customers.

AfCTA was first opened for signing in April 2018 but came into application in 2019 after the requisite minimum of 21 of the 55 member states ratified it.

Tanzania had not formally joined although former President John Magufuli signed on the agreement in 2019.

After signing, parliamentary approval is required for ratification of the agreement.

The ratification is an indicator of President Suluhu’s intention to return the country to regional integration. – nation.africa

Britain’s Border Force will be given powers to seize people smugglers at sea and send migrants who’ve crossed the Channel back to France, in new legislation that puts Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a diplomatic collision course with President Emmanuel Macron.

Home Secretary Priti Patel on Tuesday published the Nationality and Borders Bill to deter people making the dangerous journey across the world’s busiest shipping area. The National Crime Agency says gangs are operating cut-price crossings by overcrowding small boats. Those who cannot afford the fees getting on kayaks and paddling pools, and some have even tried to swim the 21 miles (34 kilometers) across the narrowest part of the Channel.

Under the new legislation the U.K. Border Force can for the first time redirect vessels back to France or other continental ports. France and the U.K. have yet to agree the policy. A U.K. spokesman said there were no current plans for Johnson to take the issue up with Macron directly, with negotiations ongoing.

The plight, and persistence, of migrants was thrust in the spotlight in 2019 when 39 Vietnamese were found dead in a refrigerated container that had been shipped to the port of Purfleet in southeast England from Zeebrugge in Belgium. The numbers of people trying to get to Britain under the radar has only increased since then.

Around 62% of claimants who enter the asylum system in the U.K. have arrived illegally, according to the Home Office, and Patel wants to bring that number down by making the route between France and Britain “unviable.” She has accused “leftie-supporting lawyers” of exploiting the system to keep refugees and asylum seekers in the country.

Patel is an ardent supporter of the Brexit project designed to reduce migration from continental Europe. The new legislation will appeal to rank and file members of her own Conservative Party, as well as voters.

The opposition Labour Party’s Home Affairs spokesman Nick Thomas-Symonds said in an email that the measures “don’t deal with the fact that the time taken to process claims has rocketed or desperate people are still falling victim to criminal gangs.”

The new legislation will allow the U.K to grant more visas to countries which take back illegal migrants and reduce the number of visas or charge higher prices for papers to those nations which don’t.

The government is also in negotiation with other countries about hosting asylum processing centers, but has refused to confirm which nations and the status of the discussions.

Patel will face a battle explaining how the new legislation is compatible with the U.K.’s obligations under the United Nations Refugee Convention — currently upheld by the courts — to grant migrants permission to stay even if they have traveled through other, safe countries.

Instead, under the plans, asylum applicants will have to show “just cause” for not applying in safe countries they have passed through first, such as Italy or France.

The Refugee Council said that “inadmissibility” rules to bar asylum seekers who arrive illegally mean 9,000 genuine asylum seekers would no longer be accepted into the U.K. Home Office officials, speaking under the usual custom of anonymity, say refugees from dangerous countries will be allowed to stay in the U.K. for 30 months to have their cases heard.

A TWO-TIER ASYLUM SYSTEM WHEREBY THOSE ARRIVING LEGITIMATELY WILL HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF THEIR APPLICATION BEING ACCEPTED

PLANS FOR THE BORDER FORCE TO HAVE THE POWER TO INTERCEPT AND REDIRECT BOATS TO PORTS OUTSIDE THE U.K., INCLUDING FRANCE, AND TO DETAIN PEOPLE SMUGGLERS AND MIGRANTS AND SEIZE THEIR VESSELS.

A PROVISION TO SEND ASYLUM-SEEKERS OFFSHORE FOR PROCESSING AND CREATE A NEW OFFENSE TO LOCK UP ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO ARRIVE ILLEGALLY, WITH A MAXIMUM JAIL TERM OF FOUR YEARS. THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE FOR PEOPLE SMUGGLING WILL BE LIFTED FROM 14 YEARS TO LIFE

A ONE-STOP SHOP THAT WILL REQUIRE ALL APPLICATIONS TO BE MADE IN FULL, WITH NO LAST MINUTE ADDITIONS, BUT THAT WILL PROVIDE GREATER ACCESS TO LEGAL ADVICE FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS

NEW LEGAL POWERS FOR THE BORDER FORCE TO SEARCH UNACCOMPANIED CONTAINERS AT PORTS IF THEY SUSPECT ILLEGAL MIGRANTS ARE HIDDEN IN THEM

SCIENTIFIC METHODS TO DETERMINE PEOPLE’S AGES IN ORDER TO STOP MIGRANTS POSING AS CHILDREN

A LEGAL PROVISION FOR APPLICANTS TO ACT IN “GOOD FAITH.” ASYLUM SEEKERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CLAIM SANCTUARY IN THE U.K. AND ANOTHER COUNTRY AT THE SAME TIME

Cooler temperatures are expected to return to much of the UK in the coming days with unsettled conditions sweeping across large parts of the country amid warnings of heavy rain and flooding.

Scotland has enjoyed its warmest September day in 115 years – but forecasters have warned thunderstorms will bring the mini heatwave to an end.

The Met Office confirmed a high of 28.6C (83.5F) in Charterhall in the Borders on Wednesday – Scotland’s warmest September day since 1906 when Gordon Castle in Moray reached 32.2C (90F).

It comes after Wales had its warmest September night on record – Aberporth saw a 24-hour minimum temperature of 20.5C (69F), breaking the previous record of 18.9C (66F) set in 1949 in Rhyl.

Cooler temperatures are expected to return to much of the UK in the coming days with unsettled conditions sweeping across large parts of the country.

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms and heavy rain on Thursday is in place for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and much of England.

Downpours and flooding will be expected between 10am and 8pm – with the Met Office warning the conditions could lead to property damage and disrupt travel.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued flood warnings for many regions.

Alerts are in place for Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City, Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire and Arran, Caithness and Sutherland, Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee and Angus, Easter Ross and Great Glen, Edinburgh and Lothians, Fife, Findhorn Nairn Moray and Speyside, Scottish Borders, Skye and Lochaber, Tayside, West Central Scotland, Wester Ross and Western Isles.

Meanwhile, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service was called to Mount Street Primary School in Plymouth shortly before 10am after the building was struck by lightning.

Pupils were left with wet clothing after being evacuated from the school in heavy rain. No one was injured in the incident.

Thunderstorms also caused flash flooding in the seaside town of Salcombe, where police said dozens of businesses had been affected.

The UK has been basking in the late summer heat this week, with the highest temperature on Tuesday reaching 30.7C (87.3F) at Gogerddan, in Dyfed, Wales, according to the Met Office.

Highs of 30.4C (86.7F) were recorded in west London and 30.3C (86.5F) at Pershore in Worcestershire. – skynews.com

Username Investment Ltd. Was awarded The Most Preferred Land Selling company in Kenya 2021 during Real Estate Excellence Awards organised by Digital Events

Username Investments Awarded the most preferred land selling company in Kenya 2021.

This is Username’s fourth win at the awards where the company has previously won the Best Diaspora Market Land Selling Company.