Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-14 13:35:33
The Cabinet, led by President William Ruto, has approved the sale of six additional State Owned Enterprises during a Cabinet meeting at State House. This brings the total number of entities set to be privatised to 17. This decision includes the privatisation of 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). The move to privatise these entities is expected to stimulate the expansion of the country’s hospitality industry and grow individual units through private sector investment.
The enterprises earmarked for privatisation also include 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 government sees this as an opportunity to align with the ongoing rebound of the tourism sector and deliver increased employment and business opportunities.
In addition to the sale of these six enterprises, the Kenya Kwanza administration had initially sought to privatise 11 entities, including the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Kenya Seed Company Limited, Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), National Oil Company of Kenya (NOCK), Numerical Machining Complex, Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers Limited, and Rivatex East Africa Limited. However, the move to privatise these 11 parastatals has been halted by the High Court due to a case brought forward by Mr. Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The cabinet also sanctioned the digitisation of the entire education system, spanning primary school education to tertiary and university levels, in an effort to overcome governance challenges and maintain the integrity of the education system. Additionally, the cabinet has 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.
Another key decision made by the Cabinet was the approval of the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to address the frequent congestion in the city. This technology aims to revolutionise traffic management in Kenya by eliminating human interfaces in traffic control and streamlining the payment of penalties for traffic offences.
Furthermore, the Cabinet endorsed the hosting of regional, continental, and global conventions/meetings, as the country is expected to host several high-profile events in the near future, including the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly and the Network of Africa Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) Conference, 2024.
During the meeting, the cabinet also eulogised the world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Garvais Hakizimana, following a tragic road accident that claimed both of their lives. The government has pledged to support Kiptum’s family in honouring his legacy with a befitting farewell.
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