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Analysis

Kenya banks lending more to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
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Jua Kaliis a commonly-used Swahili word that translates literally as “hot sun”. It is used to refer to the small, roadside businesses that sell everything from tires and laundry detergent to phone credit and oil changes. They include hawkers, small repair workshops, manufacturers and a host of entrepreneurial activities, including mobile money and other tech innovations. The term is a useful…

Analysis

Mini-grids in Kenya serve those outside the main electric grid
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Off-grid power has long been a fast and easy solution to the energy access challenge across Africa, largely in the form of diesel-powered generators, open fires or burning kerosene. With the rise of renewable energy, however, along with the reduction in costs associated with it, new off-grid options are now appearing, and Kenya stands out as a laboratory in which these are being tested. The solutions…

Analysis

New bills restructure Kenyan energy and promote transparency
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The energy sector’s legal environment in Kenya is in flux, with the state in the process of adjusting its laws and approach now that commercial oil production is nearing reality. Several bills are at various stages in the parliamentary process, and politicians and sector leaders are debating other policy points to be implemented in the coming years. Energy Bill The two main laws under consideration…

Analysis

Kenya and other African governments seek to attract private sector players
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Power is one of the biggest hurdles to stronger growth in sub-Saharan Africa, with households and industrial firms struggling to ensure a reliable supply of electricity. A number of solutions are being rolled out, from off-grid networks to new transmission infrastructure, but one of the most necessary is new generation capacity. However, the continent needs far more power than its governments can…

Analysis

Power trading to increase between Kenya and the region
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Kenya’s power grid is in the midst of an international upgrade, featuring increased connection capacity with neighbouring Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. The country’s potential as a power generator is significant, with supply already outstripping demand and geothermal sources in particular seen as an inexpensive, reliable option. Kenya’s existing reserve margin and plans for capacity additions…

Analysis

Kenya aims to find the right balance for utility prices
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Tariffs are a core aspect of debate in the Kenyan power sector, with a focus on ensuring that they fall to levels low enough to stoke consumption but that they remain sufficiently high to attract investment. Finding the right balance can be tricky. Political Pressure With many sub-Saharan African economies having large low-income populations, ensuring access to affordable electricity is key. In…

Analysis

Kenyan authorities prioritise security to ensure tourism numbers
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One of the most significant challenges facing the Kenyan tourism industry in recent years has been security concerns. As consulates increasingly advised citizens to avoid travelling to coastal Kenya, international arrivals and industry revenues fell, prompting the government to launch a host of new measures aimed at improving security and reducing risks. These efforts have already had an impact, with…

Analysis

Kenya sees more domestic tourism from a growing middle class
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After suffering a downturn in international arrivals between 2011 and 2015, Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is looking at alternatives to bolster tourism revenues, with new marketing campaigns targeting domestic tourists in a bid to raise their share of total occupied hotel nights to half of the total in 2017. Efforts to promote affordable alternatives to five-star resorts, in addition to marketing…

Analysis

Foreign investment grows private health care in Kenya
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Kenya’s health care sector has benefitted from a substantial inflow of new capital in recent years, as private investors rush to take advantage of new growth opportunities in hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and human resource development. This comes as the country’s public health system copes with a patient capacity burden and insufficient funding, problems that prompted doctors strikes in…

Analysis

Micro-insurance and mobile technology increase Kenya's health insurance penetration
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As Kenya looks to improve its health care financing environment, both the public and the private sector are turning to micro-insurance and mobile payment technologies to increase insurance penetration. The low level of health insurance in the market is one of the most significant challenges facing policymakers. According to a 2014 study by Kenya’s Insurance Regulatory Authority, only 7% of the population…