Author: WAJ Team

Police have apprehended a former MP who was reportedly found with two briefcases containing suspected counterfeit dollars. The former MP is married to a former corruption suspect who was among several individuals targeted in an all-day operation by the EACC. The EACC is investigating claims of embezzlement of public funds amounting to Sh199 million through fraudulent claims by the National Hospital Insurance Fund for a city health facility between 2021 and 2023. As part of the investigation, the EACC conducted searches at the residences of both the health facility directors and NHIF officials on Thursday. During the search, the former…

On Tuesday, July 23, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, visited the Nkamira Transit Centre in Rubavu District, Western Province. The camp, which shelters hundreds of Congolese Tutsi refugees, was the focus of her visit. Earlier on Monday, Nderitu had met with President-elect Paul Kagame. During her visit to Nkamira, she was briefed on the conditions in the refugee camps and engaged with residents, many of whom have fled conflict zones in DR Congo, including North Kivu Province. Nderitu listened to their distressing accounts of violence and severe hardships, as reported…

On July 23, the National Assembly acknowledged receiving public recommendations to eliminate the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary. These suggestions were presented to the National Assembly Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations, chaired by Ndindi Nyoro, the Member of Parliament for Kiharu. In its report on the Budget and Appropriations Committee’s First Supplementary Estimates for the Financial Year 2024/25, Parliament stated that the proposal to eliminate the Executive Office currently held by Musalia Mudavadi would be sent to President William Ruto for further action. The committee, led by Ndindi Nyoro, noted that only the Presidency has the authority to…

Accountants are expressing strong objections to what they describe as the illegal profiling of audit firms in the country. Through their regulatory and professional body, they have claimed that some financial institutions are placing discriminatory restrictions on clients of accounting firms concerning the legitimacy of their audited financial statements. The institute has denounced this as an unlawful and unacceptable attempt to undermine its authority. The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) reported that several firms have raised concerns that preference is being given to statements audited by the ‘big four’—PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Deloitte, KPMG, and Ernst & Young—over those…

Namibia, a leading diamond exporter in Africa alongside Angola, Botswana, and South Africa, shipped over $940 million worth of diamonds in 2022. The global appetite for natural diamonds has recovered from the COVID-19 downturn, with Namibia’s largest marine diamond company, Debmarine, reporting an 83% sales increase in 2022 compared to the previous year. However, Debmarine CEO Willy Mertens is concerned about the impact of synthetic diamonds on the industry, which could lead to job losses for many Namibians. Though skilled jewelers can identify the difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds, the distinction is not obvious to most consumers. Modern Mining…

South Africa’s consumer inflation continued its downward trend, with the consumer price index dropping to 5.1 percent in June from 5.2 percent in May, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) data released on Wednesday. Patrick Kelly, chief director for price statistics at Stats SA, noted that the consumer price index had persistently stayed between 5 and 6 percent over the past 10 months. In June, South Africa’s annual food inflation reached its lowest point in 45 months, the data revealed. According to Xinhua news agency, Patrick Kelly reported that food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation had decreased to 4.6 percent…

Namibian Michelle Nehoya has invested nearly $500 (£390) in a visa application to visit Canada, but after more than two years, she still hasn’t received it. The 38-year-old from Windhoek is eager to reunite with her aunt and cousins in Quebec, whom she hasn’t seen in nearly ten years. The application process has required her to complete numerous forms and provide six months of bank statements, an invitation letter, and a detailed travel history. Since there’s no application center in Namibia, she had to travel to South Africa to submit her biometric data, including fingerprints and a photo. Nehoya’s experience…

Since the call for reforms started last month, there has been a resurgence in political parties and coalitions. The push for dialogue and the formation of a broad-based government has created uncertainty about the future of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition. Wednesday’s Cabinet nominations, which included members of Raila Odinga’s ODM party in President William Ruto’s administration, are likely to disrupt the coalition. Azimio co-principals have been divided since the “handshake” debate began. On Tuesday, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna issued a statement dismissing rumors that the party was joining the government. Leaders accuse Raila of betrayal as ODM…

Dr. Stephen Amoah, Deputy Finance Minister, states that while improvements in the economy will eventually lead to better living conditions for Ghanaians, patience is required. He acknowledges that it is understandable for people to be frustrated by the slow impact of macroeconomic growth on their incomes and daily lives. Dr. Amoah attributes this delay to the largely informal and SME-driven economy, which tends to respond gradually to improvements in macroeconomic indicators like inflation. During a technical briefing organized by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, July 24, following the mid-year budget review presentation to Parliament, Dr. Stephen Amoah addressed concerns…

On Wednesday, security forces detained three activists, Abigail Kalenda, Denis Pato, and Ruth Nalunkuma, at a press conference in Kampala. The activists, associated with civil society organizations, were preparing to speak at Hotel Eliana in Ntinda when they were apprehended and taken to an undisclosed location. The raid occurred around 1:30 p.m., with security forces surrounding the hotel and arresting the activists who were about to address the media about the previous day’s anti-corruption march. The activists were charged with unlawful assembly at City Hall Court and held until Thursday morning. They face charges under sections 61 and 62 of…

On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, welcomed a United Nations delegation headed by Under-Secretary-General Amina Mohamed. This visit aligns with the ongoing efforts of the United Nations in Burkina Faso amid the current security and humanitarian crisis. According to Under-Secretary-General Amina Mohamed, the mission aimed to observe the situation in Burkina Faso firsthand to better assist in finding sustainable solutions to the country’s challenges. The discussions with the Head of State focused on two primary issues. “We addressed the crises in the sub-region, including conflicts, governmental changes, and the climate or humanitarian crisis.…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s enactment of the Climate Change Bill on Tuesday signals the beginning of a new era in unified climate action for South Africa, according to the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC). The new law establishes a legal framework for a comprehensive national response to climate change, including both mitigation and adaptation strategies. This approach represents South Africa’s equitable contribution to the global effort against climate change, the commission stated. The Act mandates that all government bodies review and, if necessary, update their policies and practices to address the risks and vulnerabilities associated with climate change. This requirement goes beyond…

Since dissolving his Cabinet on July 11 following weeks of deadly anti-government rallies, President William Ruto has revealed his second round of nominees for Cabinet Secretaries. In a speech on Wednesday at State House in Nairobi, the President declared Kipchumba Murkomen the CS nominee for Youth Affairs, Sports, and Creative Economy. Murkomen, who served as the transport minister in the previous Cabinet, was given the Youth docket, which Ababu Namwamba had previously held. As for the ministries of trade and investments, Salim Mvurya, the former head of the mining ministry, has been nominated, and John Mbadi, the chairman of the…

On Tuesday, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande introduced a new program aimed at fostering collaboration between South Africa and Palestine through science diplomacy. Nzimande announced that the new program will focus on enhancing Palestine’s research and innovation capabilities and infrastructure. This initiative will involve joint research projects between South African and Palestinian researchers, seed funding for Palestinian scholars and students in South Africa through exchange programs, and sharing South Africa’s experiences in science and system development. The program will be managed by the National Research Foundation and funded through the department’s existing international cooperation budget. Nzimande emphasized that the…

President William Ruto has removed the controversial Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale from the Ministry of Defence. In a move that surprised many legislators yesterday, Ruto reassigned Duale to the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry without offering any explanations. Soipan Tuya is now set to be vetted for the Defence position. Notably, Ruto’s memorandum, which was read by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, only included a list of 10 names for the House to consider, omitting the nominee for Attorney General, Rebecca Miano. This is despite Ruto having initially nominated 11 Cabinet members last week, a move he described…

President William Ruto has reaffirmed the government’s dedication to delivering on its promise of salary increases for prison officers and police personnel, starting this month. During the swearing-in ceremony for the new Prisons Service Commissioner General at State House, Ruto assured that his administration would uphold its commitment to these servicemen. “In accordance with the pledge I made to our uniformed officers, we will begin implementing the promised salary enhancements from this month,” President Ruto stated. “They will receive their first installment of the salary increase starting this month.” Earlier this year, the government committed to a 40 percent salary…