International development institution providing emergency financing and technical support to Kenya for disaster response, resilience building, and skills certification programs.
… But last week, the World Bank published a decision that has shattered the company’s international ambitions and laid bare what investigators described as a pattern of deception that reached far beyond Kenya’s borders. …
Audio By Vocalize eCitizen Founder James Ayugi and his firm Webmasters Kenya Ltd have been sanctioned by the World Bank over fraudulent practices in a tendering process involving Sh12.7 million. …
World Bank sanctions eCitizen director James Ayugi and his company By Claire Munde August 22, 2026 08:47 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter File image of eCitizen founder, James Ayugi Audio By Vocalize The Wor …
World Bank projects Lebanon economy to contract by 6.4% due to war By AFP August 22, 2026 05:59 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize The World Bank on Friday projected that Lebanon's economy wo …
World Bank, Mozambique delegation visits Kirinyaga to study innovative rural water model By Citizen Reporter August 21, 2026 05:52 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter The delegation visited the eWATER project i …
… The meeting, which brought together leaders from the national government, county governments and the World Bank, reviewed the progress achieved under the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), both of which w …
… The CS spoke during a joint consultative meeting between the national and county governments and the World Bank to review progress made in the implementation of the National Value-Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) and the Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP).“We are making arr …
… A slide into poverty, pre-dating Tinubu, has continued for millions, with more than 60 percent of Nigerians now living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank, up from 40 percent in 2019. …
… he faster-growing markets, recording average annual growth of about eight per cent.Kenya’s position as a major producer also allowed local manufacturers to expand across the region with water-based paints and varnishes worth Sh1.1 billion exported in 2024, according to World Bank …
Kenya is set to receive approximately Sh51.8 billion (US$400 million) in emergency financing from the World Bank to address risks posed by El Niño, accessed through the Rapid Response Option to support response to El Niño-related disruptions, an Ebola outbreak in the region, and high energy prices. The article argues that while the financing is necessary, it raises questions about why Kenya must borrow to respond to predictable disasters rather than investing in long-term resilience.
Kenya is set to receive approximately Sh51.8 billion (US$400 million) in emergency financing from the World Bank to address risks posed by El Niño, accessed through the Rapid Response Option to support response to El Niño-related disruptions, an Ebola outbreak in the region, and high energy prices. The article argues that while the financing is necessary, it raises questions about why Kenya must borrow to respond to predictable disasters rather than investing in long-term resilience.
A swine flu outbreak reported in seven counties over the last couple of months has killed tens of pigs, with Kiambu most affected. Pig farmers say the disease has wiped out their stocks and, combined with rising feed costs and low market prices, is making the venture loss-making.
CapitalPay International, led by Garang Malek, is positioning itself around payment systems linked to trade, logistics, customs, agriculture, and institutional transactions across East Africa and South Sudan. The company focuses on reconciliation and settlement systems for organizations handling high-volume or regulated transactions, with Kenya emerging as a prominent market through its partnership with the Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association.
An opinion piece examines France's shifting engagement in the Sahel following its military withdrawal from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, citing unverified allegations of a "Phoenix operation" that allegedly sought to weaken Niger's military and leadership after France was expelled from the country in 2023.
An opinion piece argues that Africa must prioritize agriculture and trade to escape poverty and overcome aid dependency, citing former AfDB president Donald Kaberuka's view that the continent should "farm and trade" its way out of poverty rather than rely on external assistance.
Kenya is expected to receive about Ksh.51.8 billion (equivalent to $400 million) in emergency financing from the World Bank through its Rapid Response Option, with funds aimed at addressing El Niño, an Ebola outbreak in the region, and high energy prices. The financing is expected to be made available within six weeks.
Kenya's housing challenge stems primarily from affordability constraints rather than lack of supply, with high interest rates (14.9% average), short repayment tenors (about 11 years), and limited long-term funding excluding most Kenyans from formal home ownership. With only 30,000 active mortgages and a loan book of Sh279.3 billion, systemic issues including high land costs, costly titling processes, and regulatory frictions compound the problem.
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's debt service burden—roughly three times the World Bank and IMF's prudent upper range of 15–20 per cent of government revenue—demands fiscal continuity rather than political experimentation.
President Ruto's directive restricting foreign nationals from low-capital businesses has sparked debate over whether Kenya's Pan-African agenda—which emphasizes open borders and freer movement of people—is being undermined by domestic protectionism.
Discoveries of rare earths and critical minerals worth potentially tens of billions of dollars could transform Malawi's economy, but experts warn that without stronger institutions, local participation, and domestic processing, the country risks repeating Africa's pattern of exporting valuable resources while reaping few benefits at home.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection will certify 3,727 informal sector workers under the Recognition of Prior Learning initiative on September 7, 2026, marking the largest single RPL graduating cohort to date. The World Bank-backed scheme seeks to formally integrate unaccredited artisans and technicians into the mainstream economy by verifying skills acquired through workplace experience.
Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has urged Kenyans to embrace saccos as a reliable way to improve livelihoods, citing their success globally and noting low uptake in Kenya. He told Members of Shirikiana Saccos that the cooperative movement encourages saving culture and offers more affordable lending conditions than financial institutions.
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's borrowing from China must be assessed not only by the debt amount but also by the infrastructure built—citing the Standard Gauge Railway as a major national transport asset that creates long-term value.
An opinion piece reflecting on Kenya's 1997–98 El Niño rains, which affected more than 1.5 million people and caused damage equivalent to 11 per cent of GDP, argues that forecasts alone are insufficient without systematic mechanisms to translate warnings into preparedness and early action at community and institutional levels.
A baseline study found 84 per cent of women traders in Nairobi's markets rely on self-care arrangements for their children because formal childcare is too expensive or unavailable near their workplaces. The opinion piece argues Nairobi County should move from pilot programmes to permanent policy to address this "gap in market design."
An opinion piece examines how "negotiated democracy"—a locally driven political arrangement in which councils of elders, clan leaders and religious leaders seek consensus on preferred candidates before elections—has emerged as a factor shaping governance outcomes in northern Kenya since devolution under the 2010 Constitution.
Kenya's outstanding debt to China has fallen 19 per cent from its 2021 peak to Sh616.8 billion following a currency conversion agreement, while the World Bank's exposure has surged to nearly triple that amount. China now accounts for 10.8 per cent of Kenya's Sh5.685 trillion total external debt.
Kenyan schools risk producing graduates with strong academic credentials but lacking practical workplace skills needed as technology changes job demands. About 15.2 per cent of Kenyan youth aged 15 to 24 were unemployed in 2025, and employers increasingly need workers who can adapt, communicate, and apply learning to real-world problems.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok announced completion of the 300-bed Dr Joyce Laboso Memorial Mother and Child wellness centre, a level-five facility built at a cost of Sh300 million. The centre will provide referral medical services to Bomet residents and patients from surrounding counties, with commissioning by President William Ruto expected in coming weeks.
Kirinyaga County has allocated Ksh.200 million to scale up water access, with Governor Anne Waiguru hosting a World Bank and Mozambique delegation to benchmark the county's eWater model, which combines community participation, affordable tariffs, conservation, and technology. The county is implementing 38 water projects this financial year as part of a broader portfolio spanning over 70 projects.
The World Bank has published a decision sanctioning James Ayugi's Webmasters Kenya Ltd, the company behind Kenya's eCitizen platform, for what investigators described as a pattern of deception extending beyond Kenya's borders, including fraud and audit obstruction.
The World Bank has sanctioned eCitizen founder James Ayugi and his firm Webmasters Kenya Ltd for fraudulent practices in a Somalia tender involving Sh12.7 million. Both have been debarred from World Bank-financed projects for five years after misrepresenting expert availability and using consultants' CVs without authorization.
The World Bank has barred Webmasters Kenya Ltd and its director James Ayugi from participating in World Bank-financed projects for a minimum of five years over fraudulent and obstructive practices, after findings that they misrepresented the availability of two key experts for a contract under a World Bank-financed project.
The World Bank projects Lebanon's economy will contract by 6.4 percent in 2026 due to the Israel-Hezbollah war, citing collapse in tourism, weaker consumption, disrupted supply chains, and displacement. Inflation is expected to rise to 17.5 percent this year.
A delegation from the World Bank and Mozambique's water sector visited Kirinyaga County to examine the eWATER project, which expands access to treated water in rural communities through smart water systems with community participation and affordable tariffs. Kirinyaga has worked with eWATER since 2019, installing 177 community smart taps, 83 household connections and six institutional connections in Gathigiriri Ward.
Kenya's Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced that the government will import 25 million 90kg bags of maize to address an anticipated food deficit. Reduced harvests in major maize-producing regions are expected to create a shortfall of nearly 25 million bags against Kenya's annual consumption of approximately 75 million bags.
The government will import 2.3 billion kilogrammes of maize (25 million bags of 90 kilogrammes each) to address food shortages caused by drought-driven crop failures across the country. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe cited the need to cushion against looming food shortage and said the country will also encourage irrigated agriculture investment to boost production.
Campaigning kicked off in Nigeria on Wednesday, five months before elections dominated by inflation and President Bola Tinubu's economic reforms. The country faces a cost-of-living crisis from subsidy-ending reforms, with headline inflation at 15.4 percent in July and more than 60 percent of Nigerians living below the poverty line according to the World Bank, while the nation also grapples with multiple security crises.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema won re-election with 60 percent of votes cast, the electoral commission announced Tuesday. The election was largely peaceful but critics said the race was tightly managed by the government and the run-up was marked by opposition claims of intimidation, arrests, violence and irregularities.
Kenya's paint consumption is growing at a double-digit rate, faster than GDP growth, driven by new construction and maintenance of existing properties. The construction sector grew 6.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, with manufacturers facing increased regional and imported competition.