Day: April 24, 2024

Public Service Vehicles (PSV) and e-commerce companies operating courier services without a license from the Communications Authority of Kenya have been warned that action will be taken against them.

This is after CAK Director General David Mugonyi issued a notice stating that operating courier services without the necessary license from the Communication Authority is a violation of the law.

‘The Authority has noticed that several unauthorised public service vehicle (PSV) Saccos and e-commerce platforms are providing courier services without the necessary license from the Authority.’

‘Any person that is found to be in violation of the provisions outlined in Section 49 of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, is guilty of an offence and may face penalties or fines amounting to Sh300,000 or imprisonment for a maximum of one year or both upon being convicted,’ stated Mr Mugonyi.

Mugonyi advised the public to only use postal and courier services from licensed operators in order to guarantee the
security of their belongings, adding that the approach would also help the public minimise additional risks associated with using unauthorised service providers.

He further instructed the public to verify the legitimacy of courier service providers by asking to see a valid compliance certificate issued by the authority.

‘Consumers can enjoy a secure and reliable service experience by choosing to support authorised operators, which in turn provides access to prescribed complaint resolution and compensation mechanisms,’ he said.

Mugonyi further stated that the Authority’s website provides a detailed list of licensed courier providers as well as information on the courier market structure and license administration framework.

He further noted that obtaining the necessary license from the authority and consistently following regulatory guidelines were crucial for operators to ensure compliance.

The move comes after CAK published a gazette notice in early April issuing a seven-day operating notice to six post
al courier companies, revealing that they would revoke the license upon lapse of the notice.

The courier operators are at risk of shutting down, despite providing services to major towns like Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Kakamega, Kisumu and Eldoret.

As of June 2021, there were 289 licensed courier operators, an increase from 263 in June 2019. Additionally, the number of private courier outlets grew from 788 in the financial year 2019-2020 to 901 in 2020-2021.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) have vowed to work together to facilitate the penetration of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in every nook and cranny of the country in line with the government’s commitment.

KPA Managing Director (MD) Capt. William Ruto said during the signing of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the two state corporations that they will use Kipevu Oil Terminal 2 (KOT 2) in the offloading of LPG.

‘The facility is capable of handling four ships at any given time. All products can be offloaded simultaneously in this facility which also reduces the cost of doing business and in terms of demurrages, this country has been paying a lot of demurrages,’ said Capt. Ruto.

KOT 2, he added can offload up to 8000 metric tonnes per hour. The facility serves landlocked countries, and 50 percent of petroleum products are from landlocked countries. Private firms can connect to KOT2 through a common user interface.

KPC MD Joe Sang said, in partnership with the private se
ctor they will construct a four-kilometre pipeline from the common manifold to the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited’s (377-acre) land in Changamwe.

‘The pipeline will have a 24-inch-diameter pipe to the bulk import facility with a capacity of 30,000 metric tonnes that will be set up in partnership with the private sector,’ stated MD Sang.

KPC has developed a master plan to establish KPRL as a trading hub for the region. ‘We want to serve close to 12 countries in the larger East African region from Ethiopia down to South Africa,’ said Sang.

In line with the government’s promise to increase the accessibility of LPG. KPC is targeting five million homes to access subsidised LPG by 2027.

‘Most of our households cannot afford. The price of the six kilogrammes of LPG is close to Sh2500 including the cylinder and the gas itself. We want to see a reduction so that it is affordable not only for Kenya but also for the region,’ stated the KPC MD.

KPC will also set up storage facilities in the hinterlands to suppor
t accessibility to LPG.

The MD further revealed that on average 15,000 Kenyans die as a result of health-related complications brought about by the use of unsafe cooking habits.

To improve tree cover, KPC in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service targets to plant five million trees in line with the presidential green agenda.

In Jomvu Creek, KPC has so far planted 440,000 trees. ‘Our ambition is to be able to do 500,000 every year for the next ten years,’ said Sang.

KPC Chairman Faith Boinett said the KOT 2 will enable KPC to open KPRL to bunkering and penetration into the region.

‘There is a conversation between Uganda and Kenya to have a pipeline all the way to DRC, with this we will be able to have short turnaround time in terms of pushing the products efficiently and be able to meet the demands of the market,’ she said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya Power held its 2nd E-mobility Conference and Expo with stakeholders in efforts to embrace innovation, transform E-mobility, and drive growth in the transport sector.

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary (CS), Davis Chirchir, said the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum is actively involved in the governance of the National E-Mobility Policy, which is spearheaded by a multi-agency Task Force whose objective is to provide an enabling environment for the growth and adoption of electric vehicles in the country.

The CS made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by the State Department for Energy Principal Secretary, Alex Wachira, on Tuesday during the 2nd Kenya Power E-Mobility and Expo Conference themed ‘Accelerating the Adoption of E-Mobility in Kenya, held at Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.

Chirchir said the world is facing unprecedented changes caused by climate change and environmental degradation, adding that it is upon citizens to embrace innovative and transformative solut
ions that will not only mitigate the challenges but also create a more resilient and sustainable future for the coming generation.

He noted that the transport sector in the country is the second-highest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which account for approximately 30 percent of the total emissions.

Chirchir emphasised that this is one of the priority intervention areas nationally, which determines contribution premises, commitment and national climate change action plan.

‘In the year 2022, the country’s total petroleum import cost was about Sh630 billion (4 billion dollars), which was over 90 percent increase from the year 2021. These impacts negatively on our foreign exchange service,’ CS said.

Chirchir reiterated that the country has abundant domestic electricity retention, especially from the renewable energy space, which powers the transportation sector and is neatly positioned to lead the change towards e-mobility.

The CS acknowledged the country’s investment in green energy infrastructur
e, including geothermal, wind and solar power, which has laid a solid foundation for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

‘By leveraging our renewable energy potential, we can not only recognise our transportation sector but also reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and enhance energy security,’ he stated.

The CS said the national electricity demand curve of a typical day shows a huge disparity between peak and off-peak power requirements, adding that to maintain system sustainability, power generation is normally reduced during off-peak hours.

He revealed that according to the EPRA data, a total of 495,407 mega hours were attained between July 2022 and June 2023, which is a lot of energy that could be put to use by creating demand at night, as well as by charging electric vehicles, especially at night.

The CS announced that in the year 2020, the Ministry launched the Kenya National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, which identified transport as a key sector to improve en
ergy efficiency and set out a target of five percent of the annual importation of vehicles to be electric and to increase adoption of e-mobility.

Chirchir noted that the policy will be integrated and comprehensively provide a legal and regulatory framework to promote adoption of e-mobility, while seeking and coordinating the efforts of various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in the national county government and other partners in direct mobility in space to ensure cohesion and coherence in the growth of the sectors and avoid the wastage of public resources.

He argued that successful transition to e-mobility requires a holistic and integrated approach which necessitates collaboration between government agencies, private sector players, development partners and civil society organisations.

CS added that the partnership will address the challenges related to infrastructure development, technology deployment, policy formulation and public awareness to create and foster a robust environment for ele
ctric mobility and ensure that charging infrastructure and electric vehicles are accessible to all segments of society.

The Chairman, Kenya Power Board of Directors, Joy Masinde, said that the Institute of Energy Studies and Research (IESR) stands to serve as the premier training and research centre for e-mobility, as she also welcomes investors and stakeholders who are interested in advancing research and development in the field.

‘As we embrace the diversification of our interests, mobility emerges as one of the most promising and exhilarating opportunities to propel our business forward. We remain steadfast in our commitment to adapting to evolving market dynamics and embracing innovation to ensure our transformation into a sustainable company,’ she said.

Masinde announced that Kenya Power is continuing to push transition to over 2,000-strong fleet to electric, as she urges all stakeholders to work hand in hand towards unlocking the full potential of e-mobility.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Two newly appointed Kericho County Executive Committee Members (CECM) and one member of the Kericho Municipal Board have taken the oath of office in the presence of Kericho County Governor Dr. Eric Mutai.

John Kipruto Malel is now the CECM in charge of Public Service Management while Jackson Rop has been sworn in as the CECM for Trade, Industrialization, Tourism, Wildlife, and Cooperative Management.

In the colourful ceremony presided over by Kericho Chief Magistrate Charles Ombulutsa at the County Government premises, Mrs. Mercy Mutai was also sworn in as a Kericho Municipal Board Member.

Kericho Governor congratulated the new appointees and challenged them to use their experience and skills to improve service delivery to the residents of the county.

Dr. Mutai observed that the new team came in when his administration had lined up various projects that needed to be implemented as soon as possible for the benefit of the residents.

‘The Kipkelion East Factory for maize is ongoing; we are also working on a
dairy processor at Belgut in partnership with the national government. We are equally working on the Roret Pineapple project and have a plan to build 15 modern markets. We need to take Kericho County to the next level through trade investments and innovations and that is why we need to make our Jua Kali industry vibrant for them to prosper,’ said Dr. Mutai.

The Kericho Chief Magistrate who presided over the swearing-in ceremony disclosed that land has already been set aside for the construction of new law courts in Kericho after the existing building was condemned due to structural defects.

‘We are also making plans to establish a permanent court in Kipkelion, Soin-Sigowet, and Kapkatet. Also in the pipeline, we will establish a county court just within the town where the small claims court will also be,’ he added.

Also present at the function were the Speaker of the County Assembly of Kericho Dr. Patrick Mutai, and members of the County Assembly of Kericho.

Source: Kenya News Agency

With the onset of the rainy season, Benson Mutuku, a tree grower in Nanyuki expected a boon from seedling sale but as fate would have it, he is now counting huge losses following a heavy downpour that has destroyed his business.

Mutuku, narrating the incident to KNA, said that the raging waters of River Nanyuki swept away about Sh300,000 worth of tree seedlings in Nanyuki town as he watched helplessly on Tuesday afternoon.

‘I have incurred a huge loss, almost Sh300,000; everything is gone and I don’t know what to do now. This rainy season, I was well prepared and if the rains continue, I have nothing to sell,’ pensive Mutuku said.

Additionally, he said that it was his first time for such losses and urged the government to help the tree growers that were affected jumpstart their businesses.

‘If it is possible, since we are keen on environmental conservation, the government needs to come to our aid and support us. My children are depending on me and now I don’t know where to start,’ said Mutuku.

Mutuku is
among the scores of residents that were affected by the on-going rainfall in Laikipia County.

Further, motorists plying the Nanyuki-Timau route were caught up by the heavy rains causing them to seek alternative diversion after the River Nanyuki submerged the Nanyuki Bridge. There was traffic snarling up for nearly an hour before the rising water subsided.

Laikipia County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha said about seven families in Likii informal settlement and William Holdings animal sanctuary were affected by the flush floods. He said the government was monitoring the situation and there was no need for an alarm.

At the same time, the CC encouraged residents staying in areas prone to flooding to move to safer grounds.

Meanwhile, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department’s weekly weather forecast, the current rainfall is expected to continue in several parts of the country.

The weatherman warns that flooding is expected in low-lying lands and places with poor drainage and at the same time the public s
hould be cautious.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Acyberschool to train one million Kenyan youths on artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.

The partnership is geared towards positioning Kenyan youth in a vantage position to create and thrive in jobs in the digital economy across Africa and beyond.

The MoU, which was signed on Wednesday at the ongoing Connected Africa Summit 2024 at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, will be implemented in five years, with both parties collaborating in mobilization of resources required to make the partnership successful.

Speaking after the signing, KoTDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Paul Okwiri noted that the partnership will boost the Jitume Digital Skills programme and accelerate digital skills development in the country.

‘This partnership with Acyberschool will enable us to train Kenyan youth on AI, emerging technologies, and cybersecurity solutions. This means that in the near future, we will enhance our ability
to have more jobs in the digital space,’ said Okwiri.

He added that the programme which will be done in phases is a key target for the two partners, and believes that through mobilising resources together, they will be able to augment their key efforts in Jitume programmes.

In his remarks, the CEO, Acyberschool and Chairperson, Africa Cybersecurity and AI Foundation (ACAIF) Evalyn Oloo who urged Kenyan youth to take advantage of the training, said the MoU will help young Kenyans acquire skills required in the market as well as prepare them to be ready for future jobs.

‘Cybersecurity and AI are emerging areas which are key to the new digital jobs. We are training Kenyans for the future of work, and I would like to encourage all young people to take this opportunity, train and acquire the relevant skills required to thrive in the digital industry.’ she said.

The African ICT Industry has been calling on all industry players at the ongoing Connected Africa Summit 2024 which started on Monday this week to leve
rage young people and advance the digital space.

Currently, Konza Technopolis, ICT Authority and The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority are spearheading the Jitume Programme training together with the private sector in an endeavour to provide specialised training and resources to support growth.

Source: Kenya News Agency