Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-14 14:13:30
The Cabinet, chaired by President William Ruto, has approved the sale of six State Owned Enterprises after a meeting at State House, bringing the total number of entities set to be privatised to 17. The six enterprises include the Development Bank of Kenya, which has fully transitioned into a fully-fledged deposit-taking commercial bank regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
Others earmarked for privatisation are Kenya Safari Lodges and Hotels Limited (incorporating Mombasa Beach Hotel, Ngulia Safari Lodge, and Voi Safari Lodge), Golf Hotel Limited, Sunset Hotel Limited, Mt. Elgon Lodge Limited, and Kabarnet Hotel Limited. The move is expected to stimulate the expansion of the country’s hospitality industry and grow the individual units through private sector investment. This aligns with the ongoing rebound of the tourism sector, promising increased employment and business opportunities in both the divested enterprises and the entire tourism sector.
This comes after the initial move by the Kenya Kwanza administration to privatise 11 entities, including Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Kenya Seed Company Limited, Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), and others. However, the move has been halted by the High Court following a case by Mr. Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), who argued that the entities were of strategic national interests and that Kenyans should vote in a referendum on whether or not to sell them. The case is still ongoing.
The cabinet also sanctioned the digitisation of the entire education system to address governance challenges within the education system, including unauthorised school fees, diversion of funds, and fraudulent activities. Additionally, the cabinet ratified the implementation of the Financing Locally Led Climate Action Programme (FLLoCA) to support Kenya’s transition to a low carbon and climate-resilient development pathway.
The Cabinet also approved the use of the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to decongest the city. The technology will replace traffic police and the County traffic officers, known as Kanjo, in managing traffic in the city. This decision was prompted by the city’s status as a capital and the host of international meetings and conventions.
In other news, the cabinet eulogized world marathon record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, and his coach, Garvais Hakizimana, following a tragic road accident that occurred on February 11, killing both. The government has pledged to support Kiptum’s family in according him a befitting heroic farewell.
Overall, the decisions made by the Cabinet aim to advance the country’s economic growth, modernize key sectors such as education and transportation, and support environmental sustainability. These initiatives demonstrate the government’s commitment to driving positive change and progress in Kenya.
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